Harry Potter and the Heir of Merlin
by kronos army
Summary: Adopted from Harryfan160889 with permisson. What if Harry wasn't as easily manipulated as he was in Canon? What if he had support in Privet Drive? Powerful Harry! Loyal Ron! Molly/Ginny/Hermione and Dumbles bashing! Flames appreciated, reviews loved! On Temp Hiatus, until probably Winter 2013
1. Prologue

HARRY POTTER AND THE HEIR OF MERLIN

Chapter: 1 Prologue

The month of August was almost over as Harry sat on his bed in Dudley's second bedroom in No.4 Privet Drive, considering his options as to how to go to King's Cross station the next day. He had the book "Transportation for Wizards" open in front of him. After reading the book, he knew he had apparated to the school roof when Dudley's gang had chased him, as he had felt the same feeling as was described in the book. Unfortunately for him, he was only 11 years old and though he was fairly confident that he would be able to disapparate long distances if he practiced a few times without much difficulty now that he knew how it felt, he would be in deep trouble if he accidentally splinched himself or if anybody caught him. Though the Dursley's would not care, Harry did not want to be in trouble even before he went to school.

He did not want to ask his relatives for a ride as he was sure neither Uncle Vernon nor Aunt Petunia would agree to give him a ride from the Surrey to London. Even if they did give him a ride, they would never agree to take Miss Bethany along with them as they never knew about his friendship with his primary school teacher. So the only option was to take the Knight bus as there was no fireplace connected to the floo network that he knew. Though Hagrid did not allow him to get anything other than the required things for school, Harry had sent his owl whom he had named Hedwig, to Flourish & Blotts and Madam Malkins Robes for all occasions and asked them if there was any way he could purchase from their shops without going to Diagon Alley.

Both the shopkeepers had immediately responded by sending him the self-updating owl order catalogues and the instructions as to how to use it. That was how he was able to buy the extra books like "Hogwarts: A History", "Transportation for Wizards", "Wizarding Customs", "A Muggleborn's Guide to the Wizarding World", "Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts", "Hexes, Jinxes and Charms to Prank your Friends" and "Origin and the Basics of Magic". He occupied his time by reading these books and visiting Miss Bethany as the Dursleys were ignoring him. If Harry told anybody that he had finished reading all these books in one month and he could remember everything he read, nobody would believe him. But what the others did not know was that Harry had a photographic memory. It was one of his closely guarded secret. Only Miss Bethany and he knew. He remembered whatever he read. The only drawback of his was that, he could recall everything since he was 6 months old and so he could remember his parents' death too.

Miss Bethany Graham was his first teacher at the primary school and she was promoted along with their class every year. Harry had carefully hidden that he was intelligent so that he would not get into trouble with the Dursleys for being better than Dudley. Bethany had seen through his act within the first week and had confronted him about it. Harry had very good instincts and he knew he could trust his teacher and so he told her everything- about his photographic memory, his life with his parents, their deaths, how the Dursleys treated him and about what little he could remember about magic. She understood that if she went to the authorities about the Dursleys, she would be the one removed from the area and not Harry, so she always spent time with him under the pretense of detention. She had become like an Aunt to him. Harry had already told her about him going to Hogwarts as soon as he was dropped off at Privet Drive on his birthday by Hagrid.

**Flashback:**

As soon as Harry dropped the things he bought in his bedroom, he went to meet Aunt Beth, as she had told him to call, since she was no longer his teacher. Beth lived only a block away from the park, so under the pretense of going to the park, he would usually go to Beth's house. So with the same excuse as going to the park, though the Dursleys ignored him as usual, he went to meet Beth. When he rang the doorbell, he was greeted with a hug from a young blonde woman around 29 years old.

"Happy Birthday Harry… Come in. I have a gift for you." Beth told him.

"Thank you Aunt Beth. You didn't have to get anything."Harry replied.

"I know I didn't have to. And as I keep telling every year, I give you gifts because I want to. Anyway, I am sure those idiots you call relatives gave you anything special. So what did you do today that you could not come here till now? Not chores on your birthday?" She asked.

"No. Not chores. Though I think they would have given me exactly that if I was at home." Harry told grinning and showed her his Hogwarts letter.

Beth took the letter and read it and then looked at Harry again, her eyes suspiciously wet.

"So, you are going to Hogwarts in the fall?" she asked, her voice wavering. Harry just nodded uncertainly.

"Will you come back to Privet Drive?"

"I am not sure Aunt Beth. I will finally get to talk to Grandma Minnie and find out about my Uncle Paddy. But the one thing I am sure about is, if I am not coming back here, then I will come visit you and I can write many letters and owl it to you." He said.

Beth nodded and then cleared her throat. "Now tell me where you went today and what you did." She told.

Harry then told her about his uncle going mad and the cross country chase, Hagrid, going to Diagon Alley, getting his wand and other things and finally about his Fame.

"Aunt Beth, these people are calling me 'the-Boy-Who-Lived'. It is as though they are celebrating my parents' death." Harry told frustrated.

"They are not celebrating your parents' death, Harry; they are celebrating the death of a very evil man. What they do not remember is that event came at a very high cost to the people close to Lily and James Potter. The cost of death. Now, Hagrid told you that Voldemort is not as gone as the people think. So, if he is correct, then Voldemort is going to come back and since you seem to be some figurehead for most of these people, I think he would come after you as you are the symbol of his failure. I want you to be careful Harry. Many may use you for their personal gain because of your fame. Be careful as to who you trust. Speak to your Grandma Minnie. I am sure she will help you. Now, I want you to promise me that you will try your hardest in your studies as the Dursleys would not be there. Play pranks, make good friends and don't forget to write to me. Alright?" She asked smiling slightly.

Harry nodded and grinned at the thought of pranks. Oh, how he loved the pranks. He usually pranked many of them in the school and would usually include himself so that nobody would know that he was the one who did it. Beth always suspected him because of the mischievous twinkle in his eyes, but without proof, she could never punish him. When they came home, he would usually tell her how he set up the prank and then since she was not at school, and that she enjoyed the prank, she would never punish him.

After talking for some more time, Beth told him to owl the book shop and the robe shop in Diagon alley and ask if he could purchase without going to the alley. Beth then helped him choose what colour and model of the robes and the various books to owl order. For the rest of the month he went to her house and read all the books, including his school books so that he could be prepared and Beth could understand what he was talking about. It was like she was going to be like a muggleborn aunt with all the things she was learning about only without magic.

**End Flashback**

Now that he had decided to go by the Knight bus, he got ready and went to Beth's house to inform her about his decision.

"Aunt Beth, the only option for us is to go by the Knight bus. I don't think Uncle Vernon would agree to give me a ride." Harry told.

Beth just nodded having expected that.

"We will leave by 8.00A.m. The shops in London would be open by 8.30, so we can get you some new muggle clothes instead of those horrible hand-me-down rags." She told

Harry just groaned knowing that he did not have any other choice as his protests usually fell on deaf ears if her mind was made up, and he knew getting him better clothes that fit him was one thing that was on top of her list.

When he went back to No.4, his aunt, uncle and cousin were in the living room watching the T.V. He just thought he would inform his uncle about him leaving by 8.00 in the morning and went into the living room.

"Er… Uncle Vernon..?" Harry said nervously.

Vernon grunted, and Harry took as that as a sign to continue.

"Well, I just wanted to inform you that I will be leaving at 8.00 in the morning tomorrow to go to King's Cross." Harry said.

"Good Riddance" Vernon grunted. "How are you going anyway? You better not have stolen from us." Vernon said.

"No. I will be going by the Knight bus, a form of transportation for the wizards. I have the Wizarding money." Harry told and then went back to his room.


	2. chapter one

Chapter: 2 Hogwarts Express

Harry woke up by 6.00 a.m. the next morning and went for his usual morning run. He started going for a morning run every day since he was 9 years old, as he realized that to be fast in order to escape Dudley and his gang, he would have to jog every morning so that he would not be out of breath when he sprinted away from them. If he was tired and slowed down, they would catch up with him and beat him up. As he jogged, he was thinking about how everything would be changing within the next few days. He thought about the day he went to Diagon Alley and how those people reacted when they saw him. He only got a taste of his fame and he hated it.

When Beth had told him that when Voldemort returned, the wizards and witches would be seeing him as a figurehead to oppose him and defeat him, he was scared and incredulous that the wizards would put faith on a school going boy. After some thought, he realized that Voldemort may or may not come back before he finished school. So if he had finished school, he could not complain that he was still a school going adolescent or something. And, if Voldemort came back before finishing school, he knew that these people would not be above asking him to take care of the Dark Lord. That was when he decided, he would have to train hard so that he would not die leaving his loved ones to be doomed by Voldemort.

He decided that he would train hard and that he would continue his morning run even at Hogwarts. He would ask help from his grandma Minnie, and who ever she trusted to train him, he would work hard. He knew that his thoughts on this subject were somewhat more mature than most boys his age would be thinking. Oh hell! Who was he kidding? Harry snorted to himself. This acceptance of fate was not somewhat mature. It was a lot more than mature. But, he would rather accept it and be ready than not accept it and be unprepared. Though he never believed in God like the Dursleys, he believed that there was some greater force than humans that set forth a series of events. He was a firm believer that everyone on earth had something to be fulfilled. And if it was his fate that he had to be the one to defeat a dark lord, well he would do his part.

He was not so arrogant as to think he could do it alone. He would need a lot of help and he would ask those he trusted for help. But for now, he decided that he would enjoy life like Aunt Beth had told him. He would make good friends and prank and be a kid that he was for at least a few more months. If the friends he was going to make at Hogwarts wanted to help him, then he would make sure that they would also be prepared. He would ask them to train with him. He was thankful that he had Aunt Beth for him to go to for the past few years. He shuddered to think what life with the Dursleys would have been like if Aunt Beth was not there to keep him grounded.

By the time he returned to the Dursleys at 6.30 a.m. after the jog and his thinking, he was all sweaty and stinking. So he took a good shower and went to the kitchen to make some breakfast for his relatives, ate some bacon and eggs and left for Beth's house with his trunk after leaving a note on the dining table for the Dursleys. After Beth had finished her breakfast, the duo found a secluded spot and Harry summoned the Knight bus. When they reached King's Cross, they got down from the bus and went to the big shopping complex which was a few blocks away. Beth had decided that though the Knight bus was fast, it was a very nauseating ride. They went to the clothing store in the complex and Beth started to select a few jeans, T-Shirts, polo t-shirts, formal shirts and pants, trousers, a few t-shirts with slogans also, all in different colours like white, black, green, blue, red, maroon, cream, grey and so on... As she kep selecting she made Harry go and change into each one of those and show it to her so she could get a good idea about which colour would be good on him. She then selected a few vests, boxers and briefs and even track suits so that he would be able to go for jogging in those. She even got different pairs fof shoes for work-out, formal shoes etc. and socks.

Finally they were done shopping by 10.30 a.m. and then went back to King's Cross station. They were waiting in the platform 9 as they realize that Hagrid had forgotten to give him instructions on how to get onto the platform 9 ¾. He had either forgotten or somebody had ordered him not to give Harry the instructions, Beth thought to herself as they heard a group of oddly dressed red headed people coming towards them.

"Packed with muggles… so hectic to send the children to Hogwarts on September 1st… now, what is the platform no.?" the plump lady in the group asked loudly and looking around as if to search for somebody else. Both Harry and Beth realized that this was all some set up so that harry would be with the people somebody trusted. 'most probably the headmaster, if a guess should be taken as he would be the one to send Hagrid to take Harry to Diagon Alley.' Both of them thought to themselves.

"Harry, be careful with how you deal with this family. Something is amiss with how the lady is shouthing about Hogwarts and platform 9 ¾. As I have already told you, many people would be trying to get close to you because of the fame. Some may also try to harm you. Please be on your guard always and trust only those closest to you. Trust your instincts as you are a very good judge of character." Beth told Harry in a soft voice bending down to his ear level. "Have a good year and don't forget to write."

She then hugged him before he went to the group and asked how to get onto the platform. When he was on the platform, struggling to get his trunk onto the train, the red headed twins helped him and also found him a compartment. A few minutes later, the lanky red haired boy, who the plump lady introduced as Ron came into the compartment.

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Ron asked indicating the free seat opposite to Harry.

"Not at all. Go ahead. I am the only one in this compartment so far and I would like to have some company." Harry said.

"Ron Weasley" He introduced himself.

"Harry Potter" harry told and smiled. For the next hour they chatted about trivial things like Quiddich, Ron's family among other things. Harry did not know why, but he felt as though he could trust Ron with his life, the same feeling he had gotten when he met the twins earlier and when he first met Beth alone when she confronted him about his school work. He resolved to give the three redheads a chance to prove themselves as trustworthy.

An hour later, the two were interrupted by a chubby looking boy who looked as though he was about to cry.

"Hi, I am Neville Longbottom. Have you seen a toad around? Trevor always seems to get away from me." Neville told them sniffling.

"We haven't seen him Neville, but why don't you ask one of the older students to summon him for you. They would be able to do it and you would not have to waste the entire train ride looking for him." Harry told.

Neville nodded. "Thank you. Do you mind if I come back here and join you. The others I was sitting with earlier wee making fun of me for having a toad, but you are nice." He asked.

"Sure do come. The more the merrier. All of us should stick together." Harry told. Harry was surprised that he could trust even Neville. Now that was strange as he had not met many people he could trust so easily. Meanwhile Ron was looking at Harry as if trying to figure out something.

After a few minutes of silence Ron had made up his mind and stood up.

"Harry, do you mind if I call the twins here for a chat? There are a few things we have got to tell you." he asked.

Harry was bewildered by this sudden change and so he just nodded his head and Ron left to look for the twins. A few minutes later he came back with the twins, Neville and another dark curly haired boy who was introduced as Lee Jordan, the twins' friend. After all of them had settled, the twins locked the compartment and put up silencing charms making Harry raise his eye brows in question.

"Harry, there are a few things that I have to tell you. I only ask that you listen to what I have to tell before you decide if you still want to be my friend.

"Wow… Ronnie, this must be really serious" Fred started,

"if you wanted us to put the silencing charm" George continued,

"and still talking like this" and then finished together.

Harry just looked at the twins bemused and nodded to Ron to continue.

"Last week, Dumbledore, the Hogwarts headmaster came to the Burrow, our home. He told he wanted to speak to mom, Ginny, Percy and me. He wanted me to befriend you so that you think I am your best friend and would tell me everything and inform everything about you and what you tell me to him. Basically, he wanted me to spy on you." Ron told and paused for a moment to take a deep breath and to calm his nerves.

The twins opened their mouth to shout at him angrily, while Neville and Lee were staring at him open mouthed. Harry on the other hand looked calm outwardly but his eyes showed that he was furious, but he asked the twins to keep quiet and let Ron continue.

"He told me that he would be transferring the money to a newly opened vault in my name every month. He also told our mother that from next year, he was going to start feeding you love potions directed towards Ginny and informed mum that by the end of the year he would try to draw up the 'Ultimate Marriage Contract' which you could never nullify without the death of one of the involved person. He then told Percy to keep an eye on you as 'you are arrogant, cruel and thought that the world revolved around you. I did not want the money. It is true that we are poor, but our dad has always taught us honor and that money is not everything. So I thought, I would see if what he said was true. If it was then, I would tell him everything but would never make use of the money instead donating it to the charities. I knew that if I did not agree, he would either as somebody else to do it or use compulsion charms and potions to make me do so." Ron said quietly and bowed his head. "I think the twins heard me agreeing to spy on you and that was why they were giving Percy, Ginny and me hell."

The twins nodded staring dumbfounded at their younger brother.

"We did not know you were so mature"

"and sneaky as hell Ronniekins."

"We are proud to call you our brother."

"We apologize for making your"

"life a living hell until now." The twins told beaming at Ron while Ron flushed with the praise from his brothers.

"Thank you for telling us this Ron. But what made you tell me? Not only me, but Nev and Lee?" harry asked thankful that he had not made a mistake about trusting Ron and the twins or the mistake of not trusting the entire Weasley family based on their mother's actions.

"Well, you were just like everybody else and not even a bit like how Dumbledore claimed you were. The twins deserved to know, not because they would stop pranking me, but because they had to know what our mother, sister and brother were planning to do. The twins trust Lee and they share everything with them. So instead of them having to repeat it, I decided to tell him along with you. I knew you had issues trusting people when I saw your wary look back at the platform when you asked our mom for help as well as when I asked if I could share the compartment with you. When you invited Nev to join us here, I knew you trusted him very much so decided to tell him also in case Dumbledore recruited him to spy on you. No offence to you, Nev, just thought you should be careful." Ron told. Neville just nodded flushed with happiness that he had friends who would give him a nickname.

Harry nodded and said, "That is good, because I trust all of you with my life. It is as though we have been together for all our lives. It is like there is an invisible bond between us to make sure that none of us can betray the other. I feel as though I would give my life to protect all of you and the vice-versa."

"I feel that way too." Neville said, while the others nodded their head in agreement.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Lee asked looking at Harry, naturally as though he was the leader of their group.

"Ron is going to pretend that he is spying on me and tell Dumbledore only the information that all of us have agreed, that is if it is ok with you." Harry said, directing the last part to Ron.

Ron thought about it for a while and then nodded. "if I don't do it, he might make others do it. But, what about the money?"

"Leave it like that. I like you idea of donating it to the charities. We could decide about that later. I know better than to tell you to use it. How much is the codger taking out of my vault?" Harry asked.

"He is transferring 1000 Galleons to my name. 1000 Galleons each to mom, and Percy. He will start giving Ginny from the summer after this school year." Ron said.

"By the way, we think somebody else is going to spy on you."

"Mum was muttering something about Granger, intelligent and contract for Ron." The twins told.

"We think Dumbledore and Mum met the girl and seemed to be intelligent,"

"so mum is planning on making a contract for you and her."

Ron just looked horrified at the thought of marrying someone against his will. He was just glad that his father would never do that to him.

"We will have to delay being her friend as much as we can. We will hope to go to a different house or we will have to tell her not to come to our dormitory because Harry and I are shy or something like that." Neville told.

"Speaking of Dormitory, I think it is better if you do not speak anything that is important in you dormitory so that in case the codger has any monitoring spells, he would not know anything important. It is better if the three of you come to the 3rd year dorms to speak anything important. You can even come to our dorm to sleep. There are 2 extra beds there and we can join all the beds together so that if would fit all of us." Lee said.

The twins nodded and the six of them spent some time talking and decided they would keep their friendship a secret for a little longer and then the third years left.

After a few more minutes the trio were disturbed from their conversation when the compartment door opened and three boys came in, one of which was the boy Harry had met in Diagon Alley, while the other two looked like gorillas.

"I heard Harry Potter was in this compartment. So it is you, is it?" The pale blond boy asked.

Harry just nodded knowing this boy was not at all trustworthy.

"I am Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. These two are Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle." Malfoy said pointing to the two gorillas behind him while the both of then grunted. Ron in the meanwhile snorted at hearing the name Malfoy.

"Think my name is funny do you? Don't have to ask who you are. With the red hair, rags for clothes. You Weasleys are always the same." Malfoy sneered and turned back to Harry when Harry and Neville restrained Ron from lunging at the blond boy.

"You should know Potter, that there are a few families in the Wizarding World, which are better than others. I can help you in choosing the right ones as your alliances, instead of the riff-raff like Weasleys and squibs like Longbottom here."Malfoy said extending his hand expecting it to be shaken.

"I think I can decide who my true Friends are for myself Malfoy. You have got the nerve to not only insult my two friends here, but insult my intelligence to make good Friends who would always support me. Not alliances that turn their back on me when the first sign of me getting into trouble. Even if Ron and Nev were not my friends, I would never be friends with someone like you. Now get out before I make you." Harry spoke in a dangerous voice, with his aura flaring out. The three boys just ran out scared shitless.

Not two minutes after they sat down, they were again interrupted by a bushy haired girl.

"Were you fighting? It is not a good thing to fight even before reaching the school, you know. You could get into trouble. Oh! I am Hermione Granger, by the way." The girl said in a know-it-all, bossy and i-am-superior-than-you voice.

The three boys narrowed their eyes at her and Ron gritted his teeth. 'this was the girl mum wanted to contract me to?' he thought horrified.

"Ron Weasley." He said and the boys saw her eyes lit up in recognition at the name and knew what the twins told was true.

"Neville Longbottom."

"Harry Potter"

"Are you really? I have read all about you. You are in the 'Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts' book, you know." She said with a greedy glint in her eyes.

"You are an idiot if you believe that book, as all that is written about me in the book is complete bullshit. It was all done by someone as a means to make money. I have never given an interview and I don't think Voldemort is in any state to give an interview about what happened. Now, if you would get out, we would like to change into our robes before we reach." Harry hissed out angrily.

Hermione was bewildered at how he got angry and was indignant that he called her an idiot and told her a book was rubbish. So she just went out of the compartment without protest resolving to make them understand that they were the idiots and that she was superior to them. When they came to her to ask her help with the homework, she would show them. What she did not understand was why Ron had not defended her. His mother had told her that she would inform her son and would most likely arrange a marriage between them. Though she did not like marrying to a lazy and dumb boy, she knew that if she was married into a pureblood light family like that would be prestigious and it would make her look good. The headmaster and Ron's mother had told her that Potter was arrogant, lazy and dumb and that he would fail most of his classes without her help. She was sure the other two were also like that. Oh! How wrong she was going to be. She would realize her mistake about their character in time, but that time was not any time soon.


	3. Chapter Two

AN: I will be using the old story by Harryfan160889 until I have reached the end of their chapters, before doing my own, regards

When the trio got down from the train with the others, they heard Hagrid shouting "Firs' years… Come here… Firs' years…" So all of them went to Hagrid and after all the first years were there they started walking to the boats.

"No more 'an four to a boat" Hagrid called out as he claimed a boat for himself.

The three boys got into a boat and saw Hermione pushing the others aside rudely and got into the boat with them. The boys narrowed their eyes at her, but did not speak anything further. When they reached the Castle, Hagrid knocked the door and it was opened by a severe looking woman with her hair in a tight bun, with an air of don't-mess-with-me-look. Harry smiled brightly as he saw her and whispered "Granma Minnie" fondly which only Nev and Ron heard. When they looked at them questioningly he shook his head and whispered that he would tell them later.

The lady introduced herself as Professor McGonagall and then continued to tell them about the four houses and the point system. When she looked at Harry, a small smile tugged at her lips when she saw him beaming at her, though she was confused as to why. When McGonagall had gone back into the hall to check if they were ready for the sorting, Harry turned to his companions with a smirk.

"Do you both like Pranks?" Harry asked.

"Are you crazy? I grew up with Fred and George. Of course I love pranks." Ron said.

Nev just nodded shyly. Harry just whispered something in their ears and they looked as though he was crazy, but both of them agreed to carry out their parts of the plan with wide eyes.

After a few seconds of just whispering to themselves,

"WHAT?" Harry shouted and all the first years fell silent to see what made him to shout. "What do you mean we have to fight a troll to get sorted?" Harry asked in a slightly lower voice, but it could still be heard by all the first years.

"Yeah Harry. My brothers told me. If you fight the troll, then you would be in Gryffindor. If you try to make it your friend in order to let you pass, then you would be in Hufflepuff. I you know everything about a troll and you still want to learn troll language and try to get it to teach it to you so that you can get more information, then you would be a Ravenclaw. If you use any underhanded technique like trying to bribe it to let you go or run away from it, then you are a Slytherin." Ron told trying not to burst out laughing at the look on the other first years faces.

"Oh no! If I don't get into Gryffindor, Gran'll kill me. How am I supposed to fight a troll?" Neville asked a little hysterically while trying to control his hysterical laughter.

All the first years were looking terrified now while the trio was smirking internally. When Professor McGonagall came back to take them inside, they were looking at her as if she was taking them to their execution.

"Professor, How are we going to be called for the sorting?" A blond girl with pigtails asked.

"Alphabetically Ms….?" McGonagall said confused as nobody had ever asked such a question before they went into the great hall.

"My name is Hannah Abbott Professor. But I don't want to go first because I don't know how to befriend a troll. I am not brave enough to fight it and I don't know anything about a troll. If I run like a coward, then I will be sorted into Slytherin and I don't want to go to Slytherin." Hannah said and started crying.

Minerva McGonagall was very much confused by now and saw that all the first years were in a hysterical state. She wondered what happened in the gap that she went to check if everyone were settled. Fight a Troll…? Befriend it? The very idea sounded absurd.

"What are you talking about Ms. Abbott? What is this about befriending a troll or fighting it?" she asked.

"That boy told his friends that his brothers told him all about the sorting and the troll" Hannah told pointing to Ron.

When Minerva turned to see who she was pointed to, she immediately recognized Harry, who was nearly a carbon copy of his father at the same age, Neville, whose grandmother was one of her good friends and a red haired boy, who could only be a Weasley. All three of them were also acting terrified but after dealing with James and his group of friends and the Weasley twins now, she knew a mischievous sparkle in the eye when she saw one and the trio of boys certainly had the mischievous sparkly in their eyes. She did not know how she was going to manage another group of pranksters. She did not know how Neville was this outgoing having grown up with his grandmother who was very strict. Now she did not know if it was a good thing or in her case a bad thing.

"What is this about Mr. Weasley?" She asked.

"My brothers told me all about the sorting and the troll Professor. Well, Bill, Charlie and the twins did. Percy told it was some sort of a test. But he knows I hate tests and so he was trying to get me to start studying even before my letter came. Can you believe him Professor. Anyway, it was 4 against 1. Who would you believe when the odds are like that. They also told me that when you ask us to wait here so that you can go see if everything is ready, you were only going to see if the troll was ready for us to face. Only then did I believe them, so I wanted my friends Harry and Nev here to be prepared for it and told them" Ron said in an I-am-an-innocent sort of voice.

"Ron, did you brothers tell you how to fight a troll? I want to be in Gryffindor. Otherwise my Gran would be very disappointed with me." Neville told in a hysterical voice.

Harry and Neville were trying not to laugh at McGonagall's reaction and a few girls whimpering at more proof that they had to fight the troll. She knew that the older Weasley boys would most certainly tell him that. But she also knew that neither Ron nor his friends believed that by the way their eyes twinkled. But what made her groan all the more was that all three of them were acting terrified just like the other first years that none of them would believe that they did it purposely. She sighed inwardly and turned to the other first years.

"We would never make a student fight a troll. Certainly not a first year with no prior experience in spells at all. Mr. Weasley's brothers are pranksters and they told him that story to make him terrified. Mr. Longbottom, your grandmother will be proud of you where ever you are placed. You don't have to worry about that. Now please form a line and come in as we are already late." She told.

All the first years formed a line with Harry, Ron and Neville in the front just behind McGonagall. When the sorting hat was brought in, Harry, acting thoroughly nervous, burst out,

"You have got to be kidding me. Do we have to pull a rabbit out of the hat? Ron, do you think Percy was telling the truth about the test? We have to know the spell to pull the rabbit of the hat?" Harry was cackling inwardly as the rest of the first years eyed the hat nervously while the older students in the hall were looking as if he was insane.

Minerva sighed and closed her eyes in resignation that she was going to have a prankster in her hands for the next seven years.

"No Mr. Potter. If you would let me speak, you would get an explanation as to what you would have to do." Minerva told.

"Oh! Don't let me stop you my dear Professor. I am glad to hear your sweet voice. I would not interrupt you again." Harry told in a charming voice.

Ron and Nev stared at him for a moment and then burst out laughing while the older students looked as if it was confirmed that he was insane as one had to be insane to talk to the strict teacher like that. McGonagall, on the other hand, was reminded about another Potter who talked to her the same way till he died. She sighed again. 'I seem to be sighing a lot today evening. I do not know if I can handle anymore pranksters. Merlin give me strength.' She prayed and then explained to them about the Sorting hat. When she was done, the rest of the first years sighed in relief, while a rip was formed in the hat and it started to sing:

"**Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,**

**But don't judge on what you see,**

**I'll eat myself if you can find**

**A smarter hat than me.**

**You can keep your bowlers black,**

**Your top hats sleek and tall,**

**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat**

**And I can cap them all.**

**There's nothing hidden in your head**

**The Sorting Hat can't see,**

**So try me on and I will tell you**

**Where you ought to be.**

**You might belong in Gryffindor,**

**Where dwell the brave at heart,**

**Their daring, nerve, and chivalry**

**Set Gryffindors apart;**

**You might belong in Hufflepuff,**

**Where they are just and loyal,**

**Those patient Hufflepuffs are true**

**And unafraid of toil;**

**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,**

**if you've a ready mind,**

**Where those of wit and learning,**

**Will always find their kind;**

**Or perhaps in Slytherin**

**You'll make your real friends,**

**Those cunning folk use any means**

**To achieve their ends.**

**So put me on! Don't be afraid!**

**And don't get in a flap!**

**You're in safe hands (though I have none)**

**For I'm a Thinking Cap!"**

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.

"Abbott Hannah"

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"** shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Bones, Susan!"

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"** shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

**"RAVENCLAW!"**

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went **to Ravenclaw** too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new **Gryffindor **and the table on the far left exploded with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling. "Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a **Slytherin. "**Tracey Davis" also became a **"Slytherin".**

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a **Gryffindor.**

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head and sat for a long time after finally the hat shouted**, "GRYFFINDOR!"** Ron groaned. Harry nudged Ron and Neville and the three of them saw the headmaster nod in an approved manner. "Greengrass Daphne" went into **"SLYTHERIN"**

When Neville Longbottom was called, he fell over on his way to the stool.

When Neville put the hat on, he heard the voice in his head.

"**Ah… Longbottom. Hmmm… you are brave but you should have more confidence. You friends would certainly help you with that,. You have a thirst to prove yourself to your family. You also have an appreciation for pranks. You could either be a Slytherin or a Gryffindor, but I can tell that you would not like to be in Slytherin. Very well. Be in"** it finally shouted**, "GRYFFINDOR,"**

Neville got up and went to the Gryffindor table with a pleased flush on his cheeks.

"MacDougal, Morag." Became a **Ravenclaw.**

Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed**, "SLYTHERIN!"**

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon"…, "Nott"… , "Parkinson"… , then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil"… , then "Perks, Sally-Anne"… , and then, at last -

"Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall. Ron and Neville saw the headmaster lean forward.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.

**"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult.**

**Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. A good combination of your parents. Both your parents had a very good pranking sense though she acted like a good girl. I see that you get that from her. There's talent, A my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting… So you have a photographic memory? So where shall I put you? Though you are loyal to those you trust, Hufflepuff certainly not a choice as you have already made a girl cry. The house will not survive even one night with you."**

"**While you like to learn, you are again not a Ravenclaw material again because of your pranking nature. So that leaves you with Gryffindor and Slytherin."**

"If you don't put me into Gryffindor like my friends, and also put Ron in Gryffindor, or you mention my abilities to anyone, then I will certainly find out where you are placed during the school year, take you and transfigure you into paper and then feed you to a donkey. I will certainly be researching spells for it. You can be certain of that." Harry told the hat in a falsely sweet voice.

"**You are certainly evil. No doubt about that. But I would like to remain as I am. Thank you very much. Even if I wanted to I can never tell anyone of your abilities. The enchantments put on me prevents it. You may go to GRYFFINDOR" **the hat shouted out the last part.

"Now, that is good. Continue to be good you dirty old ugly hat" Harry said and the Hat squawked out loud indignantly.

While Harry put on an innocent face, Minerva knew better and just made a mental note to watch out for the trio of the first year boys in her house. She knew that Weasley would become a Gryffindor too. The older students and a few teachers were thinking what made the hat squawk at the innocent boy.

"WE GOT POTTER. WE GOT POTTER" the twins were shouting and whistling. They heard what he had told McGonagall earlier and now the Sorting Hat squawked at something he had thought to it. He was officially their partner-in-crime.

Harry made his way to the Gryffindor table where he saw the twins make some space between them for him. Neville and Lee sat opposite to them catching a place for Ron. A few minutes later, when Ron was called up, he went and put on the hat.

"**You are also a difficult choice to make. You have the cunningness to be in Slytherin, but I have a lot of self-preservation to put you there. Go to GRYFFINDOR" **the hat shouted out.

Ron grinned madly at his friends and went to sit between Neville and Lee opposite to Harry, while the last first year, "Zabini Blaise" was sorted into **"SLYTHERIN".**

After the feast was over, Dumbledore stood up to give a few announcements.

"I would like to inform all the first years and remind a few of the older students that the Forbidden forest is strictly Forbidden. Quidditch tryouts will take place during the second week. This year, the third floor corridor is strictly forbidden to all students, if you do not want to die a painful death. You have all been warned. Now let us all sing the school song. Please pick your favorite tune." He said.

The other teachers' smiles became somewhat fixed while the six Gryffindors smiled like the cat that got the canary. The twins had told them about this and so all of them decided that they would sing the slow funeral march and so the six of them were the last to finish leaving most of the teachers to wonder if they had to deal with three more pranksters while the hook-nosed Professor, Severus Snape sneered at them.

The first years were then led to the Gryffindor common rooms be Percy Weasley where he gave the password "Caput Draconis" to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The boys then went to their dormitory and within half an hour their roommates Dean and Seamus were asleep while Harry, Ron and Neville tip-toed to the third year dorm. The twins and Lee had already joined the beds and it certainly looked like it could fit all six of them.

"Harry, what happened with the sorting hat? Why did it squawk like that?" Lee asked.

Harry then explained everything the sorting hat said making the other five boys roll in laughter.

"Wait, what did the Hat mean by making a girl cry? Who was it?" George asked as he got his laughter under control.

The three first years then explained everything about what happened in the entrance hall making the third years laugh even more.

"Brilliant mind you have there mate." Lee told.

"You three are officially our partners-in-crime for any prank hereafter." Fred told nodding in agreement.

"We are proud to have taught you how to act, Ronniekins" George told.

"Harry, were you almost sorted into Slytherin?" Lee asked

Harry nodded cautiously, but relaxed when the other five boys grinned at him.

"I was too" Lee, Nev and Ron told while the twins said "We were too".

They each told about their own sortings. "Ah! So all of us are Glytherins?" Ron asked.

"Hey, I like the name Glytherins. Gryffindors with Slytherin qualities. That can be our new name." Neville told excitedly. This trait shared by all of them made them even closer to each other.

The boys then spoke for a long time about their lives before Hogwarts. Harry told them about his relatives, Aunt Beth and also about his photographic memory. He informed them, that was why he recognized McGonagall and called her grandma Minnie. He told them about Beth's theory about Voldemort coming after him, which made the other five boys promise him that they wanted to join him in his morning run and any training he was going to do. They promised him that they would be there with him till the end.

Neville then told them about how his entire family though he was a squib, about his parents being in the permanent ward at St. Mungo's Hospital. The twins and Ron told them about their family. Finally Lee told them about his family.

"It was rumored that we were descendent of Salazar Slytherin. We can speak Parseltongue too." Lee told.

"Parseltongue?" Harry questioned.

"Ability to speak to the snakes" Ron told him.

"I can do that too." Harry told them and he told about the incident that happened on Dudley's birthday. That broke the tension which was there when Lee's secret came out and every one decided that they would keep everything that was spoken there a secret. They then decided that all of them would have to try to excel in all the subjects. If one of them was lagging behind, one of the others should help them catch up. Harry decided that they had to be knowledgeable in muggle subjects too and so told them he would ask Aunt Beth to owl him the books. Neville and Lee decided to teach them about the Pureblood customs and culture and how to behave in a particular function. The twins and Ron knew a few thing about the laws and decided that they would do more research about it and teach it to them.

Finally by 11.00 p.m. the boys were exhausted and went to bed with contented smiles on their face. The next day would bring about a new era to the Wizarding world with the six boys and one more girl who had yet to join their group to lead the World.


	4. First Week

Chapter: 4 First week

The next morning Harry was up at 5.30 a.m. as he was used to getting up early at the Dursleys. The first thing he decided to do was to write a letter to Beth.

"_Dear Aunt Beth,_

_We have reached Hogwarts safely. It is very nice over here. The castle is so huge and very beautiful. I am in Gryffindor. You were correct about that red-headed family. Dumbledore asked Ron, who is my age to become my friend and spy on me. Only, he told me about it in the train itself, after he saw that Dumbledore lied to him about me and told him that I was arrogant and lazy. When Ron saw the truth, he decided he had to be a better friend to me and told me, his twin brothers and another one of our friend Neville and the twins' friend Lee all about it. The old coot is paying him 1000 Galleons per month. Ron has no plans on using the money. He was planning on donating it to the charities if it turned out that I was arrogant. But another worrying thing is that the old coot has a muggle-born girl also spying on me and she is not going to be a true friend like Ron. We have decided to try and put off making friends with her for as long as possible. Anyway, we have planned to call ourselves as the Glytherins because all of us were a toss up between Slytherin and Gryffindor and ended up as Gryffindors. I have a feeling that I van trust my group as much as I trusted you when you first spoke to me alone. So that is certainly a good sign. I would also like to ask you for a favor. Can you send me the muggle textbooks? I plan on continuing with my muggle education and also teach my friends as much as I can so that we are prepared in as much as we can. Now I got to go wake my friends up for a morning run. Bye. Love you._

_Harry."_

Harry rolled the parchment and put it aside mentally noted to take it to the owlery later. Now he had to wake his friends up for the morning run.

"Guys get up. If you don't I am going to pour ice cold water on you." Harry told shaking each of them making sure that they woke up.

"Whassa matter Harry? Its only 6.00 a.m." Lee said after checking the time and yawning.

"We are going for a jog now so that you can get fit. Now up you get." Harry told cheerfully. The boys just woke up grumbling under their breath how it was unholy to be so cheerful so early in the morning.

"Hey Harry, if the old codger had monitoring spells on our dorm, wont he be suspicious if we don't wake up in our bed?" Neville asked.

"True. So we have to go to our room every morning and act as if I am waking you guys up." Harry said and proceeded to do just that. The six of them then went to the courtyard without getting lost thanks to the twins and Lee.

They jogged for half an hour with the boys except for Harry taking a short gap in between. They then did a few sit ups and some stretching. They then went back to their dormitories to shower and get ready for classes. They went to the great hall and sat down together and started piling their plates as they were all hungry after the morning exercise.

"I did not know working out could make me hungry. I am starving now." Ron said.

"You are always starving Ron."Fred said though he nodded in agreement that he too was starving.

When McGonagall came near them to give their schedules, she saw that they were whispering something with their heads bent together. She narrowed her eyes at them as she saw the innocent look they were giving her which she did not believe even for a moment.

"I sincerely hope for your sake that you are not planning pranks, boys." She told sternly.

"Who us? Certainly not my lady. You wound us by thinking we would do something so atrocious." Harry told in a charming voice.

"Oh! I do not believe that innocent look on your face for even a moment Mr. Potter. The same look and the charming voice have been used on me several times by your father for it to work on me now." She said, but the group of friends could see a slight blush coloring her cheeks.

"You knew my parents? Can you tell me about them, Professor?" Harry asked excitedly as he knew this was the chance to get his Grandma Minnie on his side. There was also an undercurrent of sadness in his voice that his friends seemed to pick up and the twins squeezed his shoulders while Ron, Nev and Lee squeezed his hand in a silent show of support. They also knew that this was the chance for Harry to tell McGonagall about his secrets so that she could tell him about his Uncle Paddy.

Professor McGonagall faltered at the sudden change in the mood, but was extremely proud of her lion cubs for their silent support for her Kit. She nodded, and as she needed an excuse to invite them to her office, she whispered to them that they needed to get a detention in her class. She knew she was going to regret telling that to the twins, but she needed a chance to tell Harry about her being his father's godmother and that she would always be there for him. She also knew that Dumbledore did not want Harry to know much about his parents and that was the reason he left him with those despicable muggles.

She sometimes went to the Surrey to check on him in her animagus form, and all of those times she had seen his relatives shout at him or neglect him. They never beat him so that there was no proof for physical abuse. She had to wait for Harry to come to Hogwarts. Now that he was here, she vowed that she would mentor him and teach him everything he needed to know. She would also tell him everything about his parents. After all Lily was her favorite student and James was her godson.

The Glytherins saw that they had some time before the classes started, so they made a quick stop at the owlery to send a letter to their respective families and Harry to Aunt Beth. The twins and Lee then showed them the transfiguration classroom and went to their own class.

The three boys entered the classroom to find it empty except for a tabby which Harry knew to be his grandma Minnie but he did not tell anything, instead the three boys took their seats in the first row. After five minutes the other first years were just entering and when Hermione saw the three boys sitting in the first row, she glared at them and by the time she searched for a place to sit, the only available place was at the back of the classroom, so she went to the seat grumbling about how the three boys had stolen her place in the first row.

When everyone was there, the tabby turned into Professor McGonagall. After taking a roll call and then giving her speech after which she transfigured the desk into a pig and back, the class was awed by it and they were silent for the rest of her lecture about how to transfigure a match into a needle. She then asked them to start practicing while she walked around correcting mistakes. Harry tried a minimum of four times where he was unsuccessful. After that he remembered reading in one of the books that every piece of magic done required intent for the particular spell to do as required and imagination as to what the desired end result should be. So he studied the match carefully and remembered how a sewing needle was. He then imagined the match turning into the sewing needle and spoke the incantation clearly willing his magic to change the match to a needle. He was only partially successful in the task. The match had turned silver but it was not pointed.

He got another match and did the same, but focusing more on the shape of the needle and then willing his magic into his spell. Finally the match was turned into a perfect sewing needle. He saw Ron and Nev struggling just as he had in the beginning and so whispered to then to do as he did. The both of them nodded and then studied his needle carefully and then tried it in their own. Though they did not get it in their first try they mastered the spell by their fifth try. McGonagall who was watching this from behind them awarded them 10 points each.

The three boys jumped up in fright as they did not know the professor was standing just behind them.

"Merlin. You gave us quite a scare there Professor Minnie. But thank you for the points." Harry said cheekily and bowed to her while Ron and Nev just nodded along with him. Since Harry had told them about how she was his grandma Minnie, they were resigned to the fact that he would continue acting like that the entire time until he could come in clear with her about everything.

When Harry called her Professor Minnie, she couldn't help but remember that he was adamant in calling her Granma Minnie when he was young. She was sure that it was James and Sirius who had taught him that as James and later Sirius were the only ones to call her Aunt Minnie, and Harry who had taken a liking to that name refused to call her anything else.

"You will not call me by that name young man. You will address me as Professor McGonagall. Is that understood?" she asked trying to sound stern which by the grins on the three boys' faces, she had not succeeded well.

"Of course Professor Minnie. Anything for you my lady." Harry whispered nodding so that the other students would not get suspicious. McGonagall just sighed while the three boys sniggered quietly under their breaths.

"Now let me see you three turn back the needle to match sticks." She told them.

The three boys looked at each other and decided that they would do it together. Now that they knew precisely what to do, it was easier and they did it in their first try. Minerva just nodded her approval and told them to write an essay on transfiguring a match to a needle and went to see how the other students were faring.

The other students went back to trying their spell while Hermione was busy glaring at the trio. She was furious at them for not only sitting in the first row, now they were the first to finish the assigned task and were a favorite of the Professor. She was the one who should be the teacher's favorite. Not them. As if that was not enough, the lazy sod was talking to the professor cheekily. Oh! How she wished she could wring his scrawny neck. But she could not do it. She had to first become his friend and then get him to trust her. After that she would be the only one who he would look to for help. By being the best friend of the Boy-Who-Lived, she would then be the first muggleborn to be the Minister of Magic.

She was busy being furious and dreaming of becoming the Minister of Magic, she did not notice McGonagall coming to see her progress.

"You need to work more on your match rather than day-dreaming in class Ms. Granger." She said when she saw the partially transfigured match but gave her one point as nobody else had even managed to transfigure that much.

Harry, Ron and Neville, in the meanwhile were plotting how to get a detention that day. After coming up with nothing, Harry suggested they play hangman instead of doing their essay. Harry was amused by his two friend's reactions to the name hangman as they had never played the game, them being purebloods.

"Do you have to hang a person?" Neville asked alarmed.

"If so, it would be wicked to hang Malfoy. Lets do it." Ron told enthusiastically.

Harry had to explain the game properly to them after which they started to play. It was nearing the end of the class when McGonagall caught them playing.

"Detention you three. I asked you to do your essay and not play games. Meet me in my office after dinner tonight." She said.

The three boys just grinned and nodded at her, and when the bell rang, they packed their things and left for their next class. Since they were the last to leave the class, Harry turned back to McGonagall and grinned at her before saying "Bye Granma Minnie" and ran off leaving a stunned transfiguration Professor.

In charms they only did the theory for now, while Defense Against the Dark Arts turned out to be a joke as Professor Quirrel was cared of his own shadow. They had Astronomy on Wednesday nights where they were taught how to focus the telescopes and the various constellations. Neville's favorite class was Herbology and the three boys sat in the first row for that class too. History of Magic, being taught by a ghost, Professor Binns, which was only about the various Goblin Wars, was a time the three boys took to completing their homework or sleeping.

They had Potions on Friday with the Slytherins and it was a double period. That morning Hedwig had arrived with a letter from Aunt Beth and also a note from Hagrid asking him to come for tea that evening. Harry wrote a short "yes" and sent it back with Hedwig and proceeded to go to the dungeons for their potions class. Professor Snape entered the classroom with a bellow of his robes, banging the door shut behind him.

Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.

"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new — _celebrity_."

Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.

"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word — like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort.

"As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

More silence followed this little speech. Harry, Neville and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.

"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

"Draught of Living Death, Sir" Harry said having remembered reading it. Hermione's hand had shot into the air as soon as the question was asked and was disappointed that he managed to answer.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer.

He ignored Hermione's hand.

"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat.

"In the stomach of a goat."

Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.

"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon ceiling.

"Nothing, it is also called aconite." said Harry quietly.

"10 points from Gryffindor for cheating, Potter. Now sit down." Snape told, furious that Harry had managed to answer all his questions correctly.

"I did not cheat Professor. You know it. I had already studied the books before school started." Harry protested.

"Detention for talking back to a Professor. Now sit down Potter." Snape told menacingly.

"No. I will not. I want to know how you can accuse me of cheating when you have no proof." Harry said

"SIT DOWN, POTTER. I do not have to answer to you. If you don't sit now, it will be one week of detention." Snape shouted.

"I am sorry sir, but I will not be attending the detention until Professor McGonagall who is the head of my House says. I am also going to file a formal complaint against you and until that is resolved I will not attend the Potions class." Harry said and left the classroom.

"50 points from Gryffindor. Now all of you start brewing the potion, instructions are on the board." Snape barked.

The class then started to brew the potion and Snape who had lost a target to harass, started hovering behind Neville and Ron, breathing down their neck and criticizing everything they did. Neville finally had a nervous breakdown and added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire, so the cauldron just melted and the potion exploded on Ron and Neville.

"Idiot boys. Are you blind? Can't you read the instructions properly? Get out of the class and go to the Hospital wing." He shouted seeing that they started to get boils all over their face.

After getting a boil cure potion from Madam Pomfrey, they went to the Gryffindor common room where Harry was just sitting in front of the fire reading a book. When Harry saw his friends nearly an hour before the class was supposed to end, he knew something had happened.

"What happened guys?" he asked.

When the two boys finished telling him what had happened, he was so furious that his magic lashed out and the windows shattered.

"We are going to meet Hagrid now and after that we are going to Professor McGonagall. Come. The earlier we see her, the better it is." He said grabbing their hands and pulling them to Hagrid's hut.


	5. Discovering the Traitor

Chapter: 5 Discovering the Traitor

The three boys went to Hagrid's hut and had tea while they told him all about their first week. When they told him about the Potions class, Hagrid, though he was disapproving of Harry walking out of the class, was very indignant on their behalf. After some time they left Hagrid's hut so that they could go and meet McGonagall or Granma Minnie as the Glytherins called her after their first meeting. Harry was glad he had is Granma Minnie on his side, rather than the old codger's side. He remembered very well how the meeting went that day.

**Flashback**

The Glytherins reached Minerva's office that evening after their dinner, under the pretense of going for a detention, the twins and Lee having gotten detention for a prank they played in the class, and knocked the door. They went in when they heard a "come in" from the other side. After warding her office, Minerva turned to Harry with an oddly intense look on her face.

"Why did you call me Granma Minnie earlier today?" was the first question she asked. It was clear that it had been troubling her the entire day.

"Because, that is what I used to call you when you used to visit me when I was with my parents." He told her honestly, while the rest of the boys were smirking at the gobsmacked look on McGonagall's face.

"You remember that?" she asked still in shock.

"I have a photographic memory, Granma Minnie. I remember pretty much every single thing from when I was six months old as that is when the babies start comprehending what happens around them. Sometimes it is a good thing, like how I know that my parents loved me very much and not some drunks who died in a car crash like the Dursleys told me. Other times it is bad, because I can clearly remember the day they died."Harry told her somberly.

Minerva just pulled her pseudo-grandson into a hug and the other boys just joined the hug after a moment to show him their support.

"Where is Uncle Paddy and Uncle Moony, Granma?" Harry asked after a minute, his voice breaking. He had kept all his emotions bottled up most of the time, and now everything was pouring out. "Uncle Paddy promised me he would come and take me with him after catching the traitor who betrayed my parents. Is he not caught yet? Why has he not tried to at least come and meet me?"

Minerva just clutched him to her, hugging him even more tightly. She knew Sirius was innocent, but nobody listened to her because, Dumbledore himself promised everyone that Sirius was guilty. The old codger then forbade her to tell anyone else of this threatening to fire her from the job and getting a restraining order so that she would not be able to see or talk to Harry. He told her that it was for the greater good. She had no other option as no one would listen to her and she wanted to be there for Harry when he came to school, so she kept quiet, searching for the real traitor during the school summer holidays. James told her almost everything and because he used to call her Aunt Minnie, Sirius did the same.

They even told her that they wanted to become an animagus to help their friend during his transformations and asked for her help. When she refused telling them that they were too young and that she would teach them when they were older, they just nodded and left. In the beginning of their fifth year, they got a detention and when they came for the detention, they transformed into a Stag and a Grim like dog to show her that she had been wrong and that they were not too young to learn anything if they put their minds to it. She was very proud of them that day, and she also vowed to help them with anything that they needed her help with and would never refuse them.

Even Remus and Peter did not know of their relationship, nor did they know that she knew of their secret. When James and Lily were going to go into hiding with Harry, he told her of the prophecy and also the plan of using Sirius as the decoy while Peter was going to be their real secret keeper. They asked her to raise Harry alongside Sirius if anything happened to them. But she was unable to do so, because, Dumbledore replaced their original Will with a duplicate one, where it was mentioned that he was to be young Harry's guardian and the Ministry refused to give Harry to her.

When Sirius was in Azkaban, she visited him once and asked him if he really killed Peter. She knew that even if Peter had betrayed the Potters, her boys could never kill another person in cold blood. Sirius had told her how Pettigrew had framed him. She had then promised Sirius that she would somehow find the traitor so that Sirius could be free. She was also the one who told him that the dementors could not affect a person when they were in their animagus forms and that not many people knew that particular fact.

Minerva told the group everything that had happened. She then told them the exact wordings of the prophecy and told them that it could have meant either Harry or Neville, but since Voldemort chose Harry, it was confirmed that the prophecy indicated him now.

"Even if it is Harry and You-Know-Who in the end, all of us are going to be there with him and help him win. Someone will have to protect him from the stray curses after all." Lee said.

Harry just smiled at them gratefully. Only then did he notice that Ron and the twins were looking at each other in horror. Harry was scared that they were going to decide that he was very dangerous to be with and that they were going to leave him. Though he trusted them, a part of him which was like his Uncle Vernon's voice said that they were going to leave and want nothing to do with him while the other part of him said that he was being silly.

"I understand if you guys want nothing to do with me hereafter." Harry told in a small voice.

Lee, Neville and Minerva whipped their heads to see that the Weasley boys come to their senses at that.

"Oh! Don't be silly, Harry. We would never leave you." Ron told

"Even in death, we would come back"

"to haunt you as a ghost." The twins told.

Harry cracked a smile at that and then asked, "Why are you so quiet?"

"Harry, I was thinking, and I am sure the twins were thinking the same thing, how many rats do you know that live for ten years, perfectly well, even if the owners have been taking good care of it?" Ron asked.

"None" Harry, Minerva, Neville and Lee told.

"Exactly. Scabbers has been in my family for the past ten years and he is missing a paw for as long as we remember." Fred told.

"Though, he might be an ordinary rat rather than an animagus, it is safe to be cautious." George told.

"Well there is only one way to prove that. Do you have him with you?" Minerva asked.

"He is in the dormitory, Professor." Ron said.

Minerva smiled at them, thankful that they would support Harry with everything.

The twins looked at each other and then shrugged coming to a decision. After hearing Harry ask about someone called Moony and the assumed Paddy was short for Padfoot, they knew that Harry was somehow connected to the marauders.

"Well, we have a method to find out if it is truly Pettigrew, but you will have to promise not to take it away from us, Granma Minnie?" Fred said.

Minerva just raised her eyebrow when he called her Granma Minnie.

"Harry calls you Granma Minnie and now he is our brother in all but blood, so we have the rights to call you that too." George said at Minerva's expression who just sighed.

" Fine. What is the method you speak of?" She asked.

The twins just took a blank piece of parchment and tapped it with their wand muttering "I solemnly swear I am up to no good" and lines started forming on it showing the map of Hogwarts.

"Ah. So this is the Fabled Marauders map?" Minerva asked.

"You know of it Professor?" The twins asked shocked.

"James told me of it. But only after he left school." She said.

"Who were the marauders?" Ron asked.

"James Potter was Prongs, Sirius Black was Padfoot, Remus Lupin was Moony and Pettigrew was Wormtail." She told.

When they saw the Gryffindor dormitories, in the first year dorm where Ron's bed was, showed the name "Peter Pettigrew." All the boys were horrified at that, while Minerva was grim. They then came up with a plan to expose him.

They then told her all that happened the previous day on the train and the vows each of them took. Minerva was just horrified at how much lengths the headmaster would go to keep Harry under his thumb. Harry told her about Aunt Beth and Minerva made a mental note to thank the woman when she met her. Harry then told her about how his magic reacted to the other five boys and him trusting them completely.

Minerva nodded at that.

"The Potters have always been friends with the Weasleys, Longbottoms and the Lovegoods for many generations. Even if they are not the same age as the others, they somehow end up looking out for each other. I am not sure about Mr. Jordan. But I certainly remember how Arthur, who was a first year when Charlus Potter, Albert Longbottom and I were seventh year, came to Charlus and Albert for any help or advice he needed and he was like a little brother to them. Similarly, Xenophilius Lovegood who was a Ravenclaw in the same year as James was always there for him when he needed someone who was not one of the Marauders. Frank and James were always close though Frank was older to James by an year, as they were playmates even when they were children as Charlus was Frank's Godfather and I was James' Godmother and Albert his Godfather. Xeno has a daughter, a year younger to you I think. She would be coming to Hogwarts next year." Minerva told.

All the boys were interested by what she told as none of them knew anything about this.

"Granma Minnie, can you teach us to become animagus too? Please? We need as many advantages as we can." Harry asked her giving her the puppy-dog eyes. Seeing Harry giving the puppy-dog eyes, the other boys did the same and Minerva soon caved in to their wishes and nodded.

"Fine, I will tutor you in anything and everything you want. I will always be with you and you can come to me for anything. I would also like for all of you to study Occlumency, which is the art of shielding one's mind. Dumbledore and Severus Snape are accomplished Legilimens and I would advise you not to look at them in the eye, otherwise they would know everything that we have planned. I know that they tell that Occlumency is tuff and that it can be accomplished by adults, but the truth is if trained from a young age, it is easy to grasp and the government does not want the public to have such an advantage and they made it restricted." She told them.

They agreed with her and she told them to practice meditation and to come to her office every Friday evenings and Saturday evenings so that they could start their Occlumency training and Animagus training.

**End Flashback**

Now the three first year boys were going to their Granma Minnie as she had promised to help them with their problems. After they knocked on her door and heard a faint "come in" the entered and closed the door. When she saw the serious faces of the boys, she immediately put up silencing charms and offered them a seat.

"What happened? Why are you so frustrated?" she asked.

When they told her all that happened in the Potions class, it would have been an understatement to say that she was furious.

"That is it. He has gone too far. If the headmaster cannot keep his pet death eater under control, he leaves me no other choice. Harry, I will Floo the Board of Governors and tell them that a student has a problem that the headmaster refuses to sort out and that they are required. Tomorrow morning at breakfast, you are to file a formal complaint against Snape. Have the twins and Lee mastered the spell?" She asked.

"Yeah.. they mastered it just last night and were going to tell you about it during our evening session today and then plan when to reveal the rat." Harry told.

"That is good. The Rat is going to be revealed tonight at dinner." She said. They then heard a knock on the door, and when Minerva opened the door, the twins and Lee came in.

They were filled in on the happenings and the plan to reveal the Rat. Minerva also instructed Harry on how to behave and exactly how to speak in front of the board the next day.


	6. The Rat

**Chapter: 6 The Rat**

When the Glytherins went for dinner all of them were very nervous, hoping everything would go according to plan. Ron had brought Scabbers to the Great Hall. The boys finished their dinner silently. When they were getting up to leave was when they acted out their plan.

"Ron, where is Scabbers?" Fred asked.

Ron just took his rat out of his pocket and showed it to the twins. George tried to take Scabbers from Ron, but Ron held steadfast.

"Why do you want Scabbers? If it is for one of your experiments, why don't you find some other animal? Why do you always trying something on him? He is an old rat." Ron said with false conviction in his voice.

"We won't do anything that will hurt him Ron. Trust us. We were taught about animagi in transfiguration. When we did some research, we found a spell to reverse an animagus to his or her human form. It will not hurt a normal animal. We just want to know if it is possible for us to do the spell. If it is possible, then all of us would be able to start our animagus training." Lee said.

Ron just looked as if contemplating while Scabbers was struggling to get out of Ron's grip as he had heard what the boys were planning.

"Besides, Scabbers is our family pet Ron. We would never intentionally harm. He has been in our family for ages. We can't ask anybody else to borrow their pet." Fred said.

"It really won't hurt Scabbers." George told.

After a few moments, Ron just nodded and handed over the struggling rat and by the time they were just outside the Great Hall. Lee soon stunned the rat as soon as they were out of the sight of the teachers and put him on the floor. The three third year boys then performed the animagus reverto spell which due to the combined powers of the three boys forced the rat to turn into a stunned Peter Pettigrew who was short, rat like face and a balding head.

Harry, Ron and Neville immediately acted as though they were in shock and shouted out "What the hell?" just as the teachers were coming out.

When the teachers saw a man who was supposed to be dead, lying on the floor, all of them were stunned that none of them reacted. Meanwhile the stunning spell put by Lee wore off and Pettigrew seeing the teachers was about to transform into a rat to escape. Unfortunately for him, Minerva noticed him awake and stunned him again before he could escape. By that time all the students had finished dinner and were crowding around them wondering who the man on the floor was.

Minerva seeing a crowd forming and that the other teachers were not going to take charge, decided to take charge.

"All the students should go back to your common rooms immediately. You are not allowed to go anywhere else. Pomona, please floo Amelia Bones at the ministry and ask her to come here immediately with a few aurors and also veritaserum." She said.

While all the other students started going back to their common rooms with some grumbling, the Glytherins stood where they were. Snape noticed this and decided to start taking points off them.

"Did you not hear Professor McGonagall about going back to your common rooms? Leave immediately before all of you earn a detention. Potter your detention will take place tomorrow." Snape said.

Before any of the boys could retort to that, Minerva said, "Potter will not be attending your detention Severus. He has informed me that he wishes to complain about you formally to the Board of Governors and that meeting will be taking place tomorrow at breakfast as I would be contacting the Board of Governors as soon as this problem here is being resolved. As for the six of them being here, they are the witness as to how he came to be here." She said and then informed the boys to follow her into the Great Hall as she floated Pettigrew and the other teachers followed her.

Within a few minutes Madam Bones arrived with four aurors and introduced them as Kingsley Shacklebolt, John Dawlish, Hestia Jones and Joseph Langston. When the saw Pettigrew there, Madam Bones immediately conjured a rope and tied him to a chair.

"How did this man come to be here? He was supposed to be dead." Madam Bones said.

"We finished our dinner early and the six of us got up to go to our common room. We… well we wanted to practice colour changing spells and asked Ron if he would lend us Scabbers. He was reluctant at first, but finally he agreed. When he was about to give the rat to us, it bit him and when Ron dropped him it changed into this man just as Lee hit him with a stunning spell. After that the teachers came." Fred said.

Madam Bones nodded and then enervated Pettigrew and forced some veritaserum down his throat.

"What is your name?" She asked while one of the aurors charmed a quill to record the questioning.

"Peter Pettigrew." He answered in a monotone.

"How old are you?"

"31"

"You were supposed to be dead. How are you alive?"

"I am an illegal animagus. When Sirius cornered me in the muggle street, I blew up the street and then cut my finger and transformed into a rat and escaped into the sewers." He said.

"What was the necessity for you to fake your own death. We all thought you cornered Black, but why are you telling that you were the one cornered." Madam Bones asked as she was now furious that it was this man that blew up the twelve muggles and not the one rotting in Azkaban.

"Sirius cornered me because I told the Dark Lord where to find the Potters. He was planning to take me to Azkaban. I was scared, so I shouted out that he betrayed the Potters and then blew up the street." He said.

"What do you mean that you told You-Know-Who where to find the Potters? Black was their secret keeper. Then how can you tell their location?" the auror called Dawlish blurted out.

"Sirius was the decoy. I was the real secret keeper. They thought they were safe that way as the Death Eaters would focus on finding Sirius and I would be safe." Peter said.

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"Yes. Since I was in my seventh year." He said. All the teachers except for Quirrel, Snape and Dumbledore gasped.

"Why did you sell them to Voldemort?" Harry asked with barely restrained fury.

"The Dark Lord promised me great power. Powers unimaginable by any ordinary person." Pettigrew answered and the other five boys restrained Harry from going and beating the crap out of the man.

"You said that you are an illegal animagus. Did You-Know-Who teach you that?" the auror called Joseph Langston asked.

"No. One of my friends, Remus was a werewolf. We knew that werewolves were a danger only to a human and not animals. So, James, Sirius and I became illegal animagi in our fifth year and we kept him company during the full moons." He said.

"By the way, Mr. Pettigrew, you are the only unregistered animagus at present. I registered my godson and Sirius when they were in hiding. I had all the papers drawn up to register you, but since you were in hiding, I could not get your signature. I had thought I would get it the next time I saw you, but by then you betrayed my godson and his family to Voldemort and framed Sirius. So I did not register you." Minerva told with great smugness.

"Why has none of this come out when Mr. Black was tried?" Madam Bones asked.

"My godfather did not receive a trial because somebody told the Wizengamot that he was guilty. So believing my godfather had no right to a trial your corrupt ministry has sent an innocent man to Azkaban without a trial." Harry told with a harsh voice.

Madam Bones and the aurors looked offended that a mere eleven year old boy was calling the Ministry corrupt and were about to reprimand him, but when they saw Minerva was also nodding her head in agreement glaring at the headmaster, they decided that it might be true.

"Mr. Potter, while a few at the ministry might be corrupt, I assure you that I always stand for justice. I can assure you now that your godfather will get a trial tomorrow afternoon. Is that alright?" she asked in a soft voice.

Harry just nodded and the ministry group left taking Pettigrew with them. Minerva then took the six boys to the Gryffindor tower before she went to her office and fire-called the twelve governors informing them about a student wishing to file a formal complaint before Dumbledore interfered.


	7. The Board of Governors

**Chapter: 7 The Board of Governors**

Harry got up early on Saturday morning to be ready for the meeting with the Governors. Minerva had told the boys that, a formal complaint against a teacher has not been filed for at least 300 years. So this was going to be a big event. The meeting would take place in the Great Hall where the student filing the complaint must do so in front of the entire school and if any other student opposes the filed complaint, then the opinion of the rest of the students is asked before the Board would decide what to do.

The Glytherins finished their morning work-out and got ready for their big day. After a shower the six of them went for breakfast and ate quietly. The members of the Board of Governors arrived when they were halfway through their meal. Neville pointed out his grandmother Agusta Longbottom and her friend Griselda Marchbanks. The six of them recognized Madam Bones, while the sixth and seventh years recognized Tofty and pointed him out to the others. A few others like Lucius Malfoy, Thomas Macmillan and Stephan Zabini, were recognized by their similarity to their sons. Cygnus Greengrass, David Corner and Xenophilius Lovegood were only recognized after they were introduced by McGonagall in front of the school.

After all the members of the Board of Governors were finished with their breakfast they were going to start. Minerva had already taught him what disciplines were expected of him in front of the Governors. So when all of them had finished their breakfast, Minerva stood up.

"Good Morning Governors, Professors and Students. We have now gathered here because Mr. Potter wishes to file a formal complaint against Professor Snape. Mr. Potter, please come forward and present your complaint." She said and then sat back.

Severus Snape was seething. How dare the arrogant brat file a complaint against him? Oh! He was sure that he would get off scot free, what with the headmaster needing him. The headmaster controlled the Potter and the Black seats and the irony in it was that, the brat was filing a complaint against him and both of his votes (as he was the Heir to the Blacks) would be voted for him staying there. He smirked internally. The boy did not even know that he had two seats on the Board. Lucius would always vote for him staying here. Macmillan, Corner, Longbottom, Marchbanks, Tofty always voted for whichever ones Dumbledore told. So more than half of the votes would favor him and he was gleeful that the boy would lose face against his peers and he would not be taken seriously after that. He was sure the boy did not even know the proper conduct as to how to act in front of the Board members. He was brought out of his musings when he saw the boy walking to the teachers table where the Board members now sat.

Harry walked forward with a straight back and then bowed to each of the Board members. All of them were stunned by the fact that a muggle raised boy knew how to act in front of them. This made most of them happy that he had bothered to learn all the customs and were now beginning to take the boy seriously. Minerva was very happy with how Harry was doing it perfectly as she had been the one who taught him all the customs that he had to follow during the meeting. Snape was stunned. He did not expect this. Now almost all of them were taking the boy seriously and not as if he was a whining arrogant brat who thought the world revolved around him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Minerva looking smug and approving. The damn old bug. She taught him. When he saw the headmaster frowning, he knew that it was disturbing the headmaster.

"Good Morning Madam Marchbanks. Good morning to all of you. I apologize for taking your valuable time and thank you for coming here to listen to my formal complaint. But, before we start, can I make one humble request Madam Marchbanks?" Harry asked again bowing his head in respect for the head of the Governors.

Griselda Marchbanks was mighty curious as to what request the young boy had and gave him permission by nodding her head and waving her hand motioning for him to continue.

"Madam, am I allowed to change the person who is voting for my seats as my proxy?" he asked softly.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw both the headmaster and Severus Snape stiffening and then both of them glancing at McGonagall, who looked on indifferently.

"May I ask why you are asking this question young man? I believe you know who is voting as your proxy?" She asked.

"Yes ma'am. I am aware that the headmaster is voting as my proxy. But I would like to remove him from that position as he has not kept up his responsibilities as the proxy. I was not informed by him that he was my proxy. It was professor McGonagall who informed me about that when I asked her if she was voting as my proxy as my dad had specified in his will. Not only that, he has not instructed me in any form as to the proceedings or even discussed why I had asked to file a formal complaint and has not asked my opinion as to how to vote in the proceedings today. I understand that the heir of the House is asked for their opinion as to how this should proceed." Harry said.

"Can you elaborate what you meant by that?" she asked.

" Not only has the headmaster not informed me about my duties, and begin to instruct me as to how I was to behave as the heir of the Most Ancient, Noble and Gallant House of Potter, but he has purposefully ignored the Last Will and Testament of the previous Lord Potter, my father, who specifically mentioned that if my Godfather Sirius Black is not available for any reason, then Minerva McGonagall who was his Godmother was to take over all the responsibilities." Harry said.

Most of the Governors were by now very angry at this. Lucius was gleeful that the headmaster had what was coming for him. Macmillan and Corner looked enraged that this boy had the gall to remove the greatest wizard to live since Merlin.

"If it was not the headmaster who instructed you on how to behave today, how did you know?" Macmillan asked.

"Professor McGonagall taught me when I told her that I wanted to file the complaint and had asked her about the proxy." Harry told.

"So you want Professor McGonagall to be your proxy till you come of age then, like your father specified?" Marchbanks asked.

"No ma'am. If I do so, then they will accuse professor McGonagall of favoring me in class when it is clear that she is a very fair woman and would never favor one student more than another. I could never stand it if the title of unfair professor goes to her when it is the opposite. I would like it to be Lady Longbottom if it is alright with her as her grandson Neville is a close friend of mine and I have heard about how she is a very fair person." Harry told turning to Agusta.

Agusta Longbottom, while strict was very fair person. When she got a call from her friend Minerva, informing her about the Board of Governors meeting and the reasons, she had been extremely angry with Dumbledore for not taking any action against Snape. But she then realized that, Dumbledore was voting for the Potter and Back seats and wondered how that would go. Now she saw what was happening, she had to fight the urge to laugh when she saw the face of Dumbledore when he realized that he would not able to make her to do as he wishes. Contrary to popular belief, she did not see eye to eye with the old coot.

She lost all her respect for him when she realized that he had the gall to circumvent a Lord's Last Will and Testament. She knew all about how he had threatened Minerva about issuing a restraining order against Minerva McGonagall to see Harry if she dared to go against him in anything. As the Chief Warlock, he had the ability to do that as he had established himself as Harry's magical guardian. She only voted along with what Dumbledore voted because, she absolutely loathed Lucius and unless it was for the better for the students of Hogwarts, she was against most of his petitions. She did not know what to make of the boy in front of her, but she decided to reserve her judgment of him until she got to know him better. She knew why the Longbottoms always stood by the Potters. Her husband had told her everything after their magical bonding before which he could not tell. She accepted young Harry's offer graciously. He then thanked her and turned to Griselda again.

Dumbledore was not having a good day. When he had called Minerva to his office to tell her to make Harry retract the complaint, she refused. She had also yelled at him telling him that if he could not control the Slytherin Head of the House, then she was going to make sure that he was actually brought to the Board. He was then confident that he would be able to make sure that Severus stayed knowing that he had the control of two seats and four of them always listened to him and was sure that Lucius Malfoy would vote on Severus staying. He was also sure that the Board would not take Harry seriously if he did not know how to act in front of the Board members.

All that crumbled to pieces when he saw the young boy walk with perfectly straight back, with confidence in what he was doing and then bowed and addressed them correctly. He knew it was Minerva who had coached him all about it and it was proven when the boy himself told that. He was then alarmed at the fact that almost all his plans were going down the drain when he realized that the boy had removed him from the position of his proxy and gave it to the damned Longbottom woman. He knew that the Longbottoms always stood by the Potters no matter what. That is why he had not wanted Harry close to Neville and chose young Ronald instead. Though he did not know how Neville and Harry had become friends. He should invite young Ronald for tea the next day and interrogate him about it. He frowned when he realized that the boys did not like the Granger girl. He will have to tell Ronald about the contract that his mother and he were planning on for him and Hermione. Perhaps that would encourage him to convince Harry about the need for Hermione's friendship. He was brought back to reality from his musings when he heard the damn brat talk again.

"Thank you ma'am. I would now like to file a formal complaint on Professor Snape." Harry told and then proceeded to tell everything that happened in the Potions class the previous day.

When he had finished, everyone except for Lucius Malfoy, were very enraged though, Greengrass and Zabini did not show any outward emotion.

"Pardon me for interrupting Madam Marchbanks, but, I know Severus Snape and know him to be a fair man. I had asked my son Draco, and he told me that he saw Potter cheating by hearing the answers from his friend and then telling it and then insulted the professor and left the classroom." Malfoy told.

Though Harry was very angry at the blatant lie, he kept his face blank. He knew not to let his emotions control him at present.

"Professor Snape, can you tell what happened in the class yesterday?" Madam Marchbanks asked after hearing out Lucius.

Snape also maintained what Lucius had told. It was then Minerva lost her control.

"Madam Marchbanks, if I may suggest something?" She asked as she stood and went to stand by Harry.

When Marchbanks nodded, she said, "Since both the stories are conflicting each other, why don't we use veritaserum on Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy as he was the one to give evidence saying Potter was lying."

"How dare you suggest something like this? Draco is the Heir to the Malfoy name and this seat. He would always look out for the best interest of this school. How dare you suggest he is lying?" Lucius said.

"Then how can you suggest that Mr. Potter is lying, when he too has not one but two seats in the Board? Is he not looking out for the welfare of the school then? Fine, we can ask the first year students for their point of view then. Mr. Longbottom, please tell us what happened." she asked catching him at his own point and going further to show him up.

Neville told everything that happened. "Those who agree with Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Potter, please raise your hands." Madam Marchbanks told.

All the Gryffindor first years and a few Slytherin first years like Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott raised their hands.

Minerva smiled. This was going better than she had expected. "Are you suggesting, Lord Malfoy, that Heirs Longbottom, Greengrass and Zabini are also lying and that they are not looking out for the betterment of the school?" She asked.

Lucius looked enraged but could not tell anything against those students now. "Fine, they do not have to submit to veritaserum. I ask your permission, Madam Marchbanks, if I can talk to Mr. Potter now?" she asked. When Marchbanks gave her an okay, she turned to Harry.

"Do you trust me Harry?" she asked softly though the entire Great Hall heard her question.

"Absolutely." Harry replied.

"Then, Will you give a magical oath that you are not lying and your memory of that class so that the Board will know that you did not cheat and you are telling the truth? I will not stand for any of my students being called liars. Especially not when they are telling the absolute truth. Veritaserum is a truth potion but I do not want it to be used on anybody as it makes them spill their innermost secrets. I do not condone using it in such situations where it is not necessary." She told him.

Most of the students, teachers and the Governors had gasped when she mentioned about the magical oath while Dumbledore, Snape and both the Malfoys were very pale. Harry just nodded and pulled out his wand and said, "I Harry James Potter-Black swear an oath on my magic that all that I told to the Board of Governors is true. So mote it be." A flash of white light indicated that the oath was done. Harry then proceeded to perform the 'Lumos' charm and his wand lighted up proving that he was telling the truth. With a soft 'Nox' he extinguished the light from his wand.

" Is it only to Mr. Potter that Professor is acting like this?" Madam Marchbanks asked after she had finished viewing the memory in the penseive.

"Except for the Slytherins, whom he favors, he treats everyone like that." Almost the entire hall shouted.

After a few moments of discussing within themselves, the Board came to a conclusion.

"The Board of Governors have decided, after viewing the events of Mr. Potter's memory and the verbal evidence most of you gave, that Severus Tobias Snape is hereby sacked from his position as the Potions Master at Hogwarts and that we will be showing this memory to the Potion Master's Guild and let them decide on whether to punish you further. The Headmaster is requested to find another Potions Professor soon and that, Professor Sinistra would be the Head of Slytherin House hereafter." Marchbanks said and almost all the students, even some of the Slytherins clapped at that.


	8. The Trial Of The Century

**Chapter 8: The Trial of the year**

After the meeting with the Board of Governors was over, the Glytherins went to Minerva's office where Augusta Longbottom was waiting to meet her grandson. She was greatly surprised, when Harry went over to her friend and hugged her and she hugged him back.

"Thank you, Granma Minnie." She heard him whisper.

After that, Neville introduced his friends to his Grandmother whose hand the boys politely kissed as was expected of gentlemen when they were introduced to a Lady. They had been learning a few Wizarding etiquettes that Neville and Minerva taught all of them so that they did not flounder too much.

"Mr. Potter, are you coming to the Wizengamot trial for your godfather today? If so, you can come along with me, if your Head of your House gives you permission of course." Augusta said looking questioningly at her friend.

"Of course he can go. I would go too if not for the fact that at least one of the head teachers should be present at school and Dumbledore has to be there as the Chief Warlock." Minerva said. "I am sure the other boys can go as well, as they were there when Pettigrew was revealed."

Augusta nodded her consent to take charge of the boys, so the six of them went to the Gryffindor tower to get changed into proper robes. When they were neat, well as neat as Harry could be with the bird nest hair of his, they went back to Minerva's office and then took the floo to the Ministry.

They went down to the courtrooms where the trials for the death eaters were held. The Weasley boys and Lee took a seat in the gallery, while Harry and Neville went to the seats which held the Lord's seat where the Lords or their Proxy's usually sat. Next to the Lord's seats, were smaller chairs which were for the Heir's in training. Luckily, the Longbottom seat was next to the Potter seat, as they had always been allies and closest friends for many generations.

After all the Lords and the members of the Wizengamot were seated, Dumbledore, as the Chief Warlock, had to begin the session.

"This is an emergency meeting convened for the trial of one Mr. Sirius Black and Mr. Peter Pettigrew. Before we begin, I would like to ask the Lords of the Wizengamot, if there is anything else that is needed to be addressed?" Dumbledore said.

As this was the cue she had been waiting for, Augusta stood up waiting to be recognized by the Court Scribe.

"The Court recognizes Lady Longbottom, the proxy for Heir Longbottom." The Scribe intoned. Augusta inclined her head slightly before addressing the court.

"Dear fellow Lords and Ladies, Proxies and Heirs, Good afternoon to all of you. I am now in front of the Wizengamot, in the stead of Heir Potter-Black, who has asked me to address this issue. Heir Potter-Black, has requested me to be his Proxy for his Potter and Black seats until his Godfather Lord Sirius Black is able to do so." She said.

"May I ask why that is, Heir Potter-Black? Is there a problem with Lord Dumbledore holding your seats as proxy?" Madam Bones asked. As this was a case against Dumbledore, he could not question it and the next person who had the authority was Madam Bones. Though Madam Bones knew the reason, as she had been in the Board of Governors meeting, this was a standard question to be asked and for the benefit of those not there and did not know the reason.

"It is for the same reason that I did not want him as my proxy at the Hogwarts Board of Governors, Madam Bones. Lord Dumbledore has neglected his duties as a Proxy as he had not informed me of my status in the Wizarding World, nor did he start teaching me about my duties as a future Lord. I only learned of this because, Lady McGonagall, who is a transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts was the Godmother of my father, the Late Lord Potter. She knew who was holding my seat, as her seat in this body is also held in proxy by the same person who holds the Potter seats in proxy when she is unable to attend the meeting due to her duties at Hogwarts. Previously, starting from my Grandfather, who was one of her closest friends, held the seat for her. After my father became Lord Potter, he held it for her. Now she has informed me that, who ever held my seats in proxy would hold hers as well. So, I request Lady Longbottom that she act as the proxy for not only the Potter and Black seats, but the McGonagall seat as well. Here is the permission letter she gave me for it." Harry told and showed the members the permission letter which was circulated.

After obtaining a valid reason for the change in the proxy for his seats, the Wizengamot could not deny an Heir of their request. So the proxy for the Potter, Black and McGonagall seats was changed from Dumbledore to Augusta which left Dumbledore seething at the fact that he had lost three votes. 'Ungrateful lady. I should have known that she would do something like this for the simple fact that I did not let her see the boy. Sometimes she is more Slytherin than Gryffindor.' He thought to himself.

"If there is nothing else to be taken care of, we can bring both the prisoners in." Dumbledore said, acting as though he did not care that he had lost the three votes. Though, if one looked closely, they would notice that the ever-present twinkle in his eye was lost and his eyes were a cold blue.

When nobody objected, Peter Pettigrew and another emaciated man who looked very shabby and dirty, were brought in by the aurors.

"Uncle Paddy." Harry whispered with sadness in his voice as he recognized the emaciated man. The Azkaban robes hung off his shoulders, and the ever present mischievous twinkle in his eyes were absent. Azkaban had brought out the worst in his Uncle. He thought sadly controlling the urge to run onto the safety of his Uncle's arms. The only reasons he did not break down at the sight of the defeated form of his uncle was the fact that one was he was in the courtroom and two was that, Neville had his hand on his thighs in silent support as soon as Nev had heard him whispering 'Uncle Paddy' and his other friends were giving him supporting looks.

After the two prisoners were made to sit, Madam Bones started the questioning.

"Are you, Mr. Black, willing to take veritaserum during this trial?" She asked Sirius.

The emaciated man just nodded glad that he was getting a trial now. After he had been administered the veritaserum, Madam Bones continued her questioning

"What is your name?"

"Sirius Orion Black."

"How old are you?"

"thirty-one"

"Are you a Death Eater?"

"No"

At this answer, almost all of them started whispering amongst each other.

"Silence Please. Were you the Secret Keeper for the Potters?"

"No."

"Who was the secret keeper then?"

"Peter Pettigrew."

"Why did everyone believe you were the secret keeper?"

"It was a plan that I came up with. I would have given up my life to keep my brother in all but blood and his family safe. I thought if we changed the Secret Keeper to Peter, but tell everyone that I was their Secret Keeper, the Death Eaters would come after me only. Peter would be safe and with him the secret of where the Potters were hiding would also be a secret. Only I did not know, I had trusted the wrong person." Sirius told in a monotone.

"What happened on the 1st of November?"

"When I saw that James and Lily were dead, I was about to take Harry with me, as I was to be his guardian as per James and Lily's will. But Hagrid was there on Dumbledore's orders to take Harry to Lily's muggle sister's home. James and Lily were against sending Harry to Petunia. I argued with Hagrid, but, as he was extremely loyal to Dumbledore, he obeyed the headmaster's orders till the end. I knew that if I tried to magically take Harry, I might accidentally hurt him. So I thought, I would first arrest Peter Pettigrew and then when the Potter's will was read, nobody, not even the Chief Warlock could stop me being my Godson and Son through Blood adoption Harry James Potter-Black's guardian. Unfortunately, I did not count on Pettigrew outwitting me by cutting off his finger, blasting the entire street and transforming into a rat and escaping the sewers. The aurors showed up and decided to lock me up in Azkaban." Sirius told with anger in his voice.

"Why were these not told during your trial previously?" one of the Lords Harry could not recognize.

"I was not given a trial. Though, Lord Dumbledore, could have pushed for my trial, he did not because, he did not want me free despite him knowing that I was innocent. He forbid the only person trying to push for my trial from doing so, because according to him it was for the Greater Good."

Most of them were muttering angrily as they glanced at Dumbledore who had gone pale.

"What do you mean by that?" Madam Bones asked.

"I am The Godfather of Harry James Potter-Black. I was magically bound to Harry to Protect him since his birth. That is the duty of all the Godfathers. They will not be able to intentionally hurt their Godson. They would die if they do that. Selling the location where the Potters were hidden to Voldemort, who was hell bent on killing the Potters, especially Harry Potter comes under the group of intentional harm. If I was their Secret Keeper, then I would have died the next second that I had given their location. Dumbledore knew of this. I was still alive, even after James and Lily died. The fact that I was alive, should have clued him to the fact that I was not their Secret Keeper. He could have thought me guilty of killing Pettigrew and the muggles. But if he had listened to Professor McGonagall and given me a trial, all of you would have known that I was innocent. Instead he turned a deaf ear to professor McGonagall's pleas and forbid her from pushing for my trial by threatening her about issuing a restraining order against seeing Harry and terminating her job." Sirius said, relishing in the shocked look of most of them as the person thought to be the fairest man in the Wizarding world, and the man who gave second chances for all of them, denied a person a fair trial.

"Just out of curiosity, how did you know that the Chief Warlock did the things you claim he did?" Madam Bones asked. She knew that this was unbelievable; it was the truth, because Sirius was still under the effects of the truth serum.

"Professor McGonagall knew that I was not the Potter's secret keeper as James always told his godmother everything. She also knew that I could not kill someone unless in self-defense. So she came to Azkaban the next day to get the truth out of me. When I told her about what happened, she told me that she would try and get me a trial. A week later, she came to visit me and she told me about everything Dumbledore had told her. Both of us agreed that, Harry was more important, and that if we knew Petunia, and we do, Harry would need his grandmother when he came to Hogwarts. So Minerva McGonagall, searched for the traitor during the summers when she was free. Unfortunately, she did not have luck on her side till now, I see." Sirius told.

By now, except for those who were staunch Dumbledore supporters, everybody was muttering and glancing darkly at the Chief Warlock, though even they could not dispute what he was telling due to the fact that he was still under the influence of veritaserum.

"Those in favour of clearing Mr. Sirius Black?" Madam Bones asked having heard enough.

All the hands raised clearing Sirius of all the charges unanimously.

The antidote was soon administered to Sirius before they put up a silencing charm was put up, and the elders discussed up on what to do for the young wizard as a compensation. Harry and Neville rolled their eyes at each other as they knew that no matter how much money was given, they could not give him the ten years of life that was robbed from him. Though they did not voice their opinion about that as they were still eleven year old children to all of them and their input would be taken as an offence.

"Sirius Black, you are cleared of all charges. I apologize on behalf of the Ministry of Magic for the serious miscarriage of justice. We would like to offer One Million Galleons for every year spent in Azkaban. Is that alright? Is there anything else that you need?" Madam Bones asked.

On seeing the mischievous expression which used to be there all the time when he was young, and since Augusta was accustomed to that expression and associated it with him and James playing a huge prank, she added, "Within Reason, Of course" loudly so that everyone including Sirius heard.

Sirius turned to where the voice came from and saw that it was Augusta Longbottom who said that. Beside her, he could make out two young boys, one of whom he was sure was Little Neville, Frank's son. When he saw the other boy who was beaming at him and looked just like James Potter, his heart almost stopped. This was Harry. His HARRY! His Godson Harry! His Adopted Son Harry! Beaming happily at him! Sirius could not believe that Harry had grown up so much. Then he realized that he was still in court and could look at Harry later and turned his attention to Augusta. Now that he was free, he let out his childish, playful side.

"But, Aunt 'Gusta… It is not fair. I wanted to ask them to make me the Minister Of Magic." He whined.

Most of them looked on in amusement as Sirius did that. Harry and Neville were trying to control their snickers. Though Sirius and James always called her Aunt 'Gusta, she did not think Sirius would do so in the Wizengamot. She should have expected it, and though she was embarrassed, she smiled having missed him a lot. Since Frank and Alice were attacked on November 1st, she could not push for the trial for Sirius and had missed many of the Wizengamot meetings. So she also sis not know that he had received a trial. She should have known better though. She sighed to herself before turning to Sirius.

"Life is not fair, my boy. You can request anything within reason, and that does not include you being the Minister of Magic. Merlin knows if you became the Minister, the not only will the Minisry not be standing within the next 24 hours of you accepting the post, even the foreign ministries would not be standing." Augusta told him with amusement in her voice though shuddering with many others who knew Sirius at the thought of him being a Minister.

"Fine. Fine. Take away all the source of my amusement, won't you." Sirius said with a pout towards her but then turned and smirked at Fudge who was white as a sheet at the thought of him being sacked.

At the pointed look from many of them, he sighed and said, "Fine. I want Joint Custody of my Godson, my Adopted Son with Minerva McGonagall. I admit that I will not be a fit enough guardian alone for Harry, but I refuse to leave him to the muggles, if he wants to, that is." Sirius looked at Harry at the last part and all the members of the Wizengamot looked at Harry for his answer.

"Of course, I would like that." Harry told beaming with tears shining in his eyes.

Sirius let out a silent sigh of relief. He was scared for a moment that, Harry would not agree to that.

"Please reconsider this request Sirius. Harry is protected by the blood wards in his aunt's home." Dumbledore said.

"If it was up to me, you would be facing charges for Kidnapping my Godson. Don't give that about the Blood wards. There is no blood wards at Petunia's house as blood wards require blood relations. You knew as well as I that Lily was adopted by the Evans when she was very young. All of us were there when she happily told us that, she had done the linage test after her adopted parents told her the truth about her adoption. She not only was not a muggle-born, she was a pureblood of one of the oldest families, that was as old as the founders time I believe. Not only that, a blood ward can be put up at my place of residence as I have repeatedly told you, I had blood adopted him the day he was born with the permission of James and Lily Potter as I was not planning on marrying ever, and I needed an Heir of my own. I loved Harry the first time I saw him and took him in my arms when James announced that I was his godfather. So I can protect him far better than those muggles can." Sirius told passionately. Many of the ladies as well as the Glytherins had silent tears streaming down their cheeks as Sirius spoke and at the obvious love he had for Harry.

Dumbledore, who realized that if he kept talking, he was digging his own grave, so he just kept quiet. He was very pale. Though he was confident that he would not be punished more that a slap in the wrist and some fine, he knew that he was already losing many of his supporters. He had not thought that Minerva would go to Azkaban to speak to Sirius. For now, he decided, he would retreat. He could not do anything at present. He was confident that he would be able to manipulate Harry once he was back at Hogwarts.

"Very well, Mr. Black. You have the custody of one Mr. Harry James Potter-Black along with Lady McGonagall. Once again we are very sorry for the miscarriage carried out to you." Madam Bones said.

Pettigrew was then forced to take the veritaserum, and when asked, the same answers he told the previous day at Hogwarts were said.

The six boys were then asked to give their testimony as to how they caught Pettigrew, and they told the same story as they told at Hogwarts. (A/N: I am not going to repeat everything that was in the chapter before last.)

"All those who find Mr. Pettigrew guilty, please raise your hands." Madam Bones said. Once again the vote was unanimous.

The silencing shield was put up once again as the elders decided on the fate of Pettigrew. Though Dumbledore and a few others were against the idea, it was decided that Pettigrew was to be sent through the Veil of Death which was in the Department of Mysteries because as a rat animagus, he would be able to escape very easily if the anti animagus wards came down even for a minute and those wards had to be cast every year and it was impossible to cast it the minute it fell. It took at least one hour.

"Mr. Pettigrew, you are found Guilty of being a Death Eater, selling James and Lily Potter to You-Know-Who, murder of twelve muggles and framing Sirius Black for crimes he did not commit. We are sending you through the Veil of Death in the Department of Mysteries as it is improbable to prevent you from escaping easily due to you being a rat animagus." Madam Bones told and gestured the aurors to carry out the execution.

"If there is nothing else, we may finish up this session." Dumbledore said hoping that with Pettigrew's trial, everyone would have forgotten what was revealed about him.

Unfortunately for him, Augusta Longbottom was not a person who would forget the miscarriage of justice against the one whom she considered family.

When she stood up, just like in the beginning of the session, Dumbledore had a bad feeling about it, but did not speak anything.

"The court recognizes Lady Longbottom." The Scribe intoned.

"As we have heard today, Albus Dumbledore cannot be trusted to carry out justice when it suits his needs. So I suggest that we elect another Chief warlock." She told while most of them were thinking it over, some of them who were against Dumbledore agreed immediately, while his staunch supporters disagreed immediately.

The suggestion was called for a vote and majority of it was for changing the Chief Warlock. An old man, Lord Tiberius Ogden, who was neutral always, was elected to be the new Chief Warlock. After that, the session was over and all the members started dispersing. Harry went down along with Augusta and Neville and as soon as he saw Sirius looking at him, he ran into his godfather's open arms and jumped onto him shouting "Uncle Paddy" gleefully. Sirius hugged Harry back and was carried him like he was a little child.

Augusta and the other Glytherin boys came and were smiling broadly at the scene the godfather and godson made.

"You can come and get freshened up at the Longbottom Manor before you go to Hogwarts and tell her the good news. The six of you can come too. I promised your Head of the House to look after all of you." Augusta told him.

Sirius just nodded thankfully and all of them went towards the fireplace at the Ministry to floo to the Manor.


	9. Interlude The Regret of RJL

**Chapter: 9 Interlude (The Regret of R.J.L)**

"Uncle Paddy" Harry shouted as he jumped to hug his godfather, a man who was also his second father. Though he did not remember being blood adopted, as it was done as soon as he was born, he remembered that sometimes James, Lily and Sirius tried to get him call him Papa other times, as Uncle Paddy. He thought that Sirius had only adopted him by name for him to be his Heir. So in all formal dealings, he had to announce his name as Harry James Potter-Black. Never in his wildest dreams did he imagine that he was Blood-Adopted. Now he understood why sometimes they made him call Sirius, Papa. Though he called Sirius 'Papa' or 'Uncle Paddy' depending on his mood, he recalled with some amusement at his own antics when he was younger. He also remembered, his mother would always call him Harry James Potter-Black when she was being stern with him.

Sirius carried Harry all the way to the fireplace, unwilling to let his son down even for a moment. Soon all of them flooed to Longbottom Manor and Sirius went to get showered and changed. After he was done, he sat down and pulled Harry to his side.

"Thank you very much boys. I owe my freedom to the six of you. I would like to hear the story of how you captured the rat, though. Har-Bear, I would also love to know everything that happened for the past ten years. Can you tell me? How did you know that you used to call me Uncle Paddy when you were younger? Did Aunt Minnie tell you?" Sirius asked in a rush.

"Calm down and breathe Sirius. Let the boys answer first before you jump to your other questions. I would also like to apologize for not doing more for you." Augusta said.

Sirius waved her apology, reminding her that she had to take care of an infant and had to deal with her own grief and that he did not hold her responsible. He then turned to look at Harry expectantly.

Harry just chuckled weakly. "I have photographic memory Papa. I remember almost all the events that happened since I was about six months old." Harry said and then he continued to tell the two adults about his life till the previous day and for Sirius' sake, Hogwarts Board Meeting that took place that morning.

Sirius was laughing by the time he finished the story and Augusta was trying to look stern at the thought of the boys pranking even before their sorting.

"You are carrying the Marauder's way of life. Wonderful. Hogwarts won't be the same by the time you complete your seventh year." Sirius said while Augusta just groaned at that thought though she was pleased to see that her grandson had come out of his shell and was a little more confident.

"By the way, Harry, we have to go to Gringotts tomorrow so that we can do an inheritance test and then a few more things to be done there. Minerva will have to be present. Aunt 'Gusta, I take it you are also coming?" Sirius asked.

Augusta nodded. "I will contact Arthur and Xeno. They would be able to help the boys with their questions about their instant trust in each other. Though Albert explained a few things, I don't know much about it. Lee, can I have your floo address? I can speak to your parents to see if they know anything and also ask them to come to Gringotts so that all of you can have your inheritance tests done." She said. All the boys nodded though they were confused. Lee told her the floo address and the boys along with Sirius bade Augusta good-bye and left to tell Minerva the good news.

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Dumbledore was seething by the time he returned to his office after the Wizengamot meeting. All his plans were going down the drain. He had hoped that by placing the brat in the abusive muggles care, though they were not his relatives, would make him easier to manipulate. He managed to cart Black off to Azkaban without a trial since he was one of the first person to whom the custody of Potter went to according to the Potter Will. He had managed to seal the Potter Will and appoint himself the Guardian of the boy and controlling his trust vault and his seats on the Hogwarts Board of Governors and in the Wizengamot seats. The advantage of Black in Azkaban was that Potter and Black seats were combined, so he had the advantage of not one but two seats. He had also successfully threatened Minerva with a restricting order. He had even managed to make the youngest Weasley boy and the Granger girl to spy on Potter.

He relied in Ronald Weasley's inferiority complex to make him a perfect spy. Oh, he knew, that the youngest Weasley male had a huge inferiority complex. He has used Legilimency on the boy, just to scan his mind to know his weakness and play to it. He had seen that the boy sometimes longed to have more money. So, he offered money to the boy for him to spy on him. But he also knew that the boy was honorable and so decided to play up to it. He had told him that Harry was an arrogant boy who thought that world revolved around him, and how he might be arrogant just like a spoiled brat which should not be a character for the Savior of the Wizarding World. So young Ronald, immediately agreed to spy on the young savior for him.

Dumbledore was concerned that the muggleborn girl whom he had recruited also to spy on the young Boy-Who-Lived, did not seem to make any progress in making friends with Harry. Filius Flitwick was one of the teachers who went to introduce the muggle-borns to magic. When he had returned from Ms. Granger's house, he was practically beaming that he had an excellent girl who loved to read books and respected elders and he was sure that she was going to be a Ravenclaw. Dumbledore, who usually found it very easy to manipulate muggle-born students to his side with his Grandfather persona, was interested about the young girl who had made Filius Flitwick very excited, more so than normal. So he, without the knowledge of the tiny professor, saw the events that had happened earlier that day.

He saw that the girl was very book oriented and worshiped the authorities a lot that she did not think that they could do anything wrong. His curiosity raised, he went to the girl's home along with Molly Weasley. When Dumbledore scanned her mind, he was pleased to see that she had already read a few books, where it was mentioned that he defeated a Dark Lord and that he was the only one another Dark Lord Who was even more vicious than the one who he defeated. So in her mind, he was practically the Merlin incarcerate. That made his job even more easier for him.

He told her that, she was the brightest witch of her generation and that, if she agreed to do him a favor, she could get even more knowledge. He told her that she had to spy on Potter and that he would gift her with the books in the Potter Library, that was even more extensive than the Hogwarts Library. He told her that she would be famous when he defeated Voldemort as the best friend of the Boy-Who-Lived. He then promised her that if she was willing they could arrange a marriage contract to one of Molly Weasley's sons mostly Ronald since he was her age. When he sensed the doubt in her about the marriage contract, he assured her that, though they were poor at present, they would be very rich when the war would get over, as they would be standing alongside Harry in the Final Battle. Not only that, Ginny would be contracted to marry Harry Potter, making the Potter accounts which was one of the most extensive come to the Weasleys control. He assured her that if she wanted and if she showed the same amount of promise that she was showing now, he would accept her as his apprentice and teach her all he knew.

That convinced her rather quickly and she agreed to do as the headmaster asked. What he did not count on was the fact was that, she did not know how to socialize and that was one of the major drawbacks. He would have to call both Granger and Ronald Weasley and tell them to make Harry accept the girl's friendship. He had not expect Pettigrew to be revealed so soon and now, Sirius was free and had revealed to the entire Wizengamot that Petunia was not a blood relative of Lily making it impossible to have any excuse to send the boy there. Black would never be easy to manipulate as he had become suspicious of the headmaster's motives. He could not even oppose the guardianship of the boy as it was not only Black, but also Minerva. Now he was sure that if he did anything too obvious, Minerva could and will take him to the court. He had also lost the Potter boy's trust now. He had to think of ways to regain that.

Damn that woman! Why did she have to interfere so much? Because of her, Black knew of some of his manipulations. Because of her, he was removed from the position of the Chief Warlock. Because of her interference, he had lost the control of the Potter and the Black seats. He had also lost his spy and the one person who he could trust to abuse Potter with all he had due to the Damn Woman. He was really dreading the special edition of the Daily Prophet that evening. He could not even sack her. Black had told them of his threat to her. If he sacked her, it would be too obvious now. Not only that, they had to go and vote for the man who would never allow himself to be manipulated. Tiberius Ogden had been one of his friends when he was in school. He had disapproved of his friendship and relationship with Gellert Grindelwald. That was when they grew apart and finally their friendship broke when Tiberius had come upon Gellert and him discussing how to rule over the muggles.

So now, without much political power, other than the family seat in the Wizengamot and the position of the Headmaster of Hogwarts, he now had no sway over major events in the Wizarding world. He did not realize, but a few of his supporters now despised him and would not help him much. Only very few of his staunch supporters would be there for him.

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**The Daily Prophet**

**Special Evening Edition**

**-By Rita Skeeter.**

**The Trial of the Year – Sirius Black Innocent of the crimes he was accused of!**

**Sirius Black, 31 years old, was found to be innocent of the crimes he was accused of today afternoon in a special meeting at the Wizengamot. This reporter, collected the absolute truth from a few sources, so that I could write the correct events of what happened inside, rather than the speculations. As soon as the session of the court was started by the now ex-Chief Warlock, Lord Albus Dumbledore, Lady Longbottom and Heir Potter-Black stopped the session from proceeding so that the Potter, Black and the McGonagall seats in the Wizengamot that was held in proxy by Lord Dumbledore be held by Lady Longbottom at the request of the Heir to the seats Heir Harry James Potter-Black. **

**When asked for a reasoning for this, Harry Potter said, "It is for the same reason that I did not want him as my proxy at the Hogwarts Board of Governors, Madam Bones. Lord Dumbledore has neglected his duties as a Proxy as he had not informed me of my status in the Wizarding World, nor did he start teaching me about my duties as a future Lord. I only learned of this because, Lady McGonagall, who is a transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts was the Godmother of my father, the Late Lord Potter." He also said that Lord Dumbledore had sealed the Last Will and Testament of Lord James Potter, the Late Lord Potter. **

**So after that memorable event, where Lord Dumbledore, lost a little bit of his composure, continued and motioned for Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew to be brought in. Peter Pettigrew, who was thought to be dead, killed by Sirius Black, was in truth hiding as a rat (an illegal animagus). This was revealed when he was exposed yesterday evening at Hogwarts by a few first and third year students, including Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Frederick Weasley, George Weasley and Lee Jordan. **

**After questioning Sirius Black, it was revealed that our esteemed Headmaster knew of Mr. Black's innocence, yet had him carted him off to Azkaban without a trial for the Greater Good. After he was cleared of all charges unanimously, Lord Black asked for the joint custody of his Godson along with Minerva McGonagall, who is the transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts. He had Blood Adopted young Harry Potter the day he was born with the permission of James and Lily Potter.**

**His reasoning for the Blood Adoption is that, he had no plans of ever getting married and needed an Heir for the House of Black. So as soon as he laid his eyes on his godson, he loved him as his own son that he had Blood Adopted him with the permission of the Potters.**

**When the headmaster tried to protest saying something about Blood Wards, Mr. Black reminded the headmaster that he had the right to press charges of Kidnapping and that there was no blood relation to Mrs. Dursley as Mrs. Potter, who was a Pureblood Witch, though not known to which family she belonged, was adopted by the Evans, Mrs. Potter's adopted family.**

**So now after Mr. Pettigrew was found to be guilty, he was sentenced to be executed by the Veil of Death so that he could not escape again. Dumbledore was then removed as the Chief Warlock to be replaced by Lord Tiberius Ogden. The question is, if Dumbledore can get away with nothing other than removal of him from the position as the Chief Warlock for not carrying out the justice as he had promised when he was voted to the said position, how much is he getting away with? He has ignored the Last Will and Testament of a Lord of an Ancient House. He has sent an innocent man, who is a Lord of an Ancient House, without a trial, then how many other citizens have been sent to Azkaban just because they did not agree with the Chief Warlock. **

**It was also on the headmaster's word that Severus Snape, a known Death Eater, that he was a spy for the Light side. Can we really believe him? There are many more questions that arise about the headmaster. We now have to ask ourselves if we can trust this manipulative man again to do what is best since he has clearly proved the opposite.**

**Severus Snape: Sacked from the position of the Potions teacher at Hogwarts**

**Severus Snape was the Potions Master at Hogwarts for the past eleven years. He was also the Head of the Slytherin House. **

**Severus Snape was sacked from his position of Potions Master earlier this afternoon due to the formal complaint filed to the Board of Governors of Hogwarts, which has not happened in almost more than three hundred years.**

**This complaint was filed by none other than Harry Potter, who was accused by Mr. Snape of cheating when he answered the Potions Master's question correctly. When Mr. Draco Malfoy told that he saw Harry Potter cheating, the transfiguration teacher told that she could not stand to see one of her students being accused of lying when he was clearly telling the truth, asked Harry if he trusted her. When Harry replied affirmatively, she asked him to take a magical oath, when Lord Malfoy told that his Heir only told the truth and that he looked out for the welfare of Hogwarts, and he had refused for his Heir to take the truth serum to decide which one of the 11 year old child was telling the truth.**

**Harry then took his oath and he was clearly able to do magic after that which he demonstrated by showing a simple Lumos charm. Many other students from various Houses agreed that the Potions Master always picked on anyone not in Slytherin House. Even a few of the Slytherins attested to this fact. **

**We now have to ask again, why the Headmaster ignored the complaints against the Potions Master. Why was Lucius Malfoy supporting Severus Snape staying at Hogwarts? Lucius Malfoy was previously accused of being a death eater, but he was released because he claimed the use of Imperious Curse. Is this true? Or was it a Lie so that he could walk free? Why were many of the Death Eaters who claimed Imperious Curse not given Veritaserum to determine if this is true? Is this another failure of our esteemed Headmaster? Or was he giving a second chance as he usually claims? **

**It is known that the number of students achieving outstanding in the NEWTS and OWLS has significantly fallen down. Of the ones who did achieve O, 99% were from Slytherins. I ask on behalf of the parents of the students at Hogwarts, why is such a man teaching for so many years? Why is Lord Malfoy supporting such a man? Is it because he is his friend? Or is he not doing his duty of looking out for the welfare of the students of Hogwarts.**

**This reporter demands answers to all the questions on behalf of the citizens of Wizarding Britain as Albus Dumbledore and Lucius Malfoy were unavailable for comments.**

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When the Special Edition of the Daily Prophet was delivered to everyone, there was a massive uproar at the injustice. Many of them prepared Howlers addressed to the Headmaster of Hogwarts or to Severus Snape, some even to Lucius Malfoy. Many ladies though, sent a few gifts to apologize to Sirius Black.

Elsewhere, in a shabby cabin, a haggard young man who had many scars and premature grey hairs, clutched the Daily Prophet and saw the photo that was taken when Sirius hugged Harry and carried him as soon as the trial was over. There was guilt written all over his face.

'I am so sorry for ever trusting the old coot and believing you were the traitor. How will you ever forgive me my friend, for letting you rot in that hell-hole without knowing the truth? But I will make it up to you and Harry, even if it is the last thing I do.' He thought to himself as he took a parchment to write to his old friend.


	10. The Seperation Of The Weasley's

**Chapter: 10 The Separation of the Weasleys.**

Sirius and the boys flooed to Minerva's office. As soon as Minerva saw Sirius, she hugged him tightly while Sirius returned the hug gladly. The boys then told Minerva about the trial and about how Dumbledore could not do much about it.

"We have to go to Gringotts tomorrow, Aunt Minnie. You should also come. Jamie told me that there was a letter for both of us to read on Harry's eleventh birthday in case anything happened to him before that. He told me he would tell you about it, but he did not get the time to do so." Sirius told a little sadly.

Minerva nodded just as her fireplace turned green. When all of them turned to look at the fireplace, they saw Augusta's face in it.

"I flooed to tell you that I will be taking Neville out of the school tomorrow to Gringotts and since you are the deputy headmistress, it would be good to tell you. You can inform the old coot. I think you will be getting a floo call from the Jordans and Arthur soon." She told. Minerva just nodded her head resigned to the fact that she would be the one to inform the headmaster. Dumbledore could not do anything as the guardians have the right to take their child from school on weekends, provided they inform the Head of the House and either the deputy head or the headmaster.

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Arthur Weasley was a Ministry worker, who worked in the Department of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. He was an eccentric man, who loved his children a lot. He was not sure as to how he felt about his wife. In the beginning, when he had married her, he was in very much in love with her that he even walked out on his parents. He did not remember much about that day. After the birth of his Heir, Bill, he started questioning a few things as to why he had walked out on his parents. He respected his parents very much and he was very sure that he would never do such a horrible thing. He started suspecting that something was amiss the moment he held his little boy in his arms and he felt a clarity that he had not had for the past year. He also realized that he did not love his wife anymore. He immediately went to meet his parents and then told them about his suspicions.

He was thankful that there were certain Magicks that prevented him from telling Molly, who now used some sort of controlling potions in his food and even Love Potions, about his Heritage. The Magic that governed that secret only allowed the person to tell his bonded wife about their heritage and that was only after the bonding. Arthur had never bonded with his wife. They had eloped and married in a Muggle church. His parents had told him that he would not get his inheritance and only his children would receive it.

He was glad that his parents had decided that only his children who were truly Weasleys by both blood and Magic would receive the inheritance. He knew that sometimes, the child might receive the mother's maiden family's magic and though they might have the father's family Magicks, it would not be enough for him or her to inherit anything from the father's family except for the blood and the name. In those cases where the child is an only child, then one of the descendents of the child would receive the family Magicks, who would then inherit the rest of the vaults at Gringotts. Until then though, the Vaults would be unopened at Gringotts.

Once he had informed Molly about his parents' decision, she had thrown a fit and then told him that they needed to have more children. Though he was aware of the controlling potions in his blood stream, there was nothing he could do to neutralize it as those potions were exclusively the Prewitt family Magicks that could only be neutralized by the ones who had the family Magicks. The only good thing was that, once you were aware of the potion in your blood stream, it worked only when he was near his wife. In order to teach his children about a few things, he would take his children for walks and tell them stories about his parents. He also taught them about honor and how to always be honest.

He was not able to tell his children about his heritage when they were all present, and that made him suspicious that at least one of his children had the Prewitt Family Magicks. He was sure that his daughter had the Prewitt family as there had not been a female Weasley to inherit the Weasley family Magicks. He was also sure that one of the boys did not have the Weasley family Magicks and it was not Bill or Charlie as he had told the two of them about their heritage on their seventeenth birthday. Only after he received the letter from Ron and the Twins, he was able to confirm that Percy did not have the Weasley family Magicks. Ron had written about how he had an instant connection to Harry Potter and how his friends, the twins and he called themselves Glytherins. He knew he had to tell the boys about their heritage soon.

At present he was in his office at the Ministry of Magic, going over the events that had taken place that day. Sirius Black was tried and found to be innocent. He also learned that Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew who was hiding in his animagus form. He was thankful that the murderer was a coward and did not do anything to his children. The fireplace turned green indicating that someone was floo calling as no one got out of the fireplace. When he looked at the fireplace, he was surprised to see Augusta Longbottom's face.

"Lady Longbottom, what can I do for you today?" he asked his voice showing the surprise he felt.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Augusta, Arthur?" Augusta asked with a smile. "Anyway, I think it is time for us to disclose the secrets of our heritage to the children, Arthur. I have already spoken to Xeno, and he has agreed to come to Gringotts with Luna. Minerva and Sirius will be there with Harry. I have spoken to the Jordans as some new information has come to light, that only they would be able to clarify, and they have also agreed to bring Lee to Gringotts tomorrow to explain it. Will you bring your children, even the ones not in the country. We plan on doing the Heritage test for all of them." She said.

"I will talk to Bill and Charlie and ask them to floo over immediately. I will not be bringing Ginny as no female Weasley would ever inherit the family Magicks. I am doubtful about Percy, but I am sure that it will be certain once the heritage tests are done. If he has not inherited the Weasley family Magicks, we can send him back to Hogwarts before we explain it to the others." Arthur said.

Augusta agreed and left Arthur to his musings and then fire call Minerva, who had just gotten a call from the Jordans also, to inform her about taking the boys to Gringotts. He was wondering what to tell his wife, when she asked about it, if she came to know about him taking the boys out of school for the day. He was sure that the headmaster would inform her about it. He had seen the headmaster over the past summer a lot and hoped it was nothing bad.

He then fire-called Bill and Charlie and told them to floo over to Gringotts the next day and to tell the excuse that it was a family emergency, at work. He was sure the Goblins would agree as they would know what it was about.

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Dumbledore was sitting in his office after dinner, yet again trying to think of ways to get the custody of Harry, so that he would be able to mould him as he liked, when a knock was heard. He was startled out of his thoughts as he did not realize somebody had given the password to enter his office. He had a monitoring charm on the gargoyle and that was how he usually knew who was coming to his office. He cursed himself for not paying attention as he called out a "Come in". He was surprised to see it was Minerva McGonagall who came in.

"Ah, Minerva! What a surprise. Please do come in. What can I do for you?" Dumbledore asked.

"Headmaster. Well I have got a floo call from Augusta, Arthur and Michael Jordan earlier that they want to take their respected children out tomorrow. As Harry's guardian, Sirius and I have decided to take him out tomorrow as well, so that Harry can get to know us before we have to spend the holidays together." She told, managing to surprise Dumbledore further.

"Do you think it is wise to take Harry out of school, Minerva? It might not be safe." He said.

"Harry is going to stay with Sirius and I, Albus. Are you telling that I will not be able to protect the boy who is like my grandson? Are you insinuating that, Sirius, who is Harry's Godfather, is unable to protect the boy? I do not require your permission to take him out, by the way. I was only informing you that I would also be absent tomorrow so that you will not search for me. By the capacity of the Deputy Headmistress, I have the rights to give the guardians permission to take their children out for the day on a weekend. Only if they are missing their classes, your permission is required. By the way, Don't you dare try to take Harry away from me, or try to manipulate him here after. If you do, you would not like the consequences. Even if you are going to fire me from my job, I can easily get the wizengamot to issue a restraining order against you. You would do well to remember that you are no longer the chief of the wizengamot." Minerva told threateningly.

"Alright. Why are the other children being taken out?" he asked in a resigned voice, though he was seething on the inside.

"I do not make it a habit of asking the parents for their reasons. If that is all, I would like to leave and go inform my students about their outing tomorrow." She told crisply and left.

Dumbledore was seething at the way Minerva was speaking to him. He did not know why all of a sudden all these children were being taken out for the day. He also realized that except for Percy, all the other boys had come to the trial earlier that day. He was sure it had something to do with it. He was sure Ronald would tell him what was happening, but he was not sure about the other boys.

He floo called Molly Weasley and asked her if she knew why her husband was taking the boys out for the day, but she did not have any idea. She promised to look into it, and ask her husband about it and then tell him.

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The next day all the six boys were ready and were waiting for Percy to come down to the common room so that they could go to Minerva's office together. As soon as Percy came, the boys set off to Minerva's office and went inside when they heard a "come in" as they knocked. Augusta, Arthur and Michael were already there and they instructed the boys to floo to the Leaky Cauldron.

When they reached the Leaky Cauldron, they saw that Sirius, Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley and Rose Jordan were sitting at a table waiting for them. As soon as Sirius saw Harry, he jumped up and pulled him into a hug, while the two elder Weasley boys greeted their siblings warmly and they were introduced to Harry and Neville. As soon as the others arrived, they sat down to eat. They were interrupted in between when Molly and Ginerva Weasley flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and made their way to the group.

"Why have you taken the boys out of school without informing me Arthur? Why are Bill and Charlie here rather than at work? What has gotten into you? You did not answer me yesterday when I asked you why you were taking the children out. You had the nerve to ignore me. ANSWER ME NOW." Molly Weasley screamed and would have attracted the attention of the other customers, had Sirius not put a silencing charm around them so that they were not over-heard.

"Shut up and sit down, you idiot woman. I have had enough of you and your controlling potions. You were never bonded to me by magic. Just a simple muggle wedding in the muggle church. You think, I did not have any idea about the potions you have been feeding me? I knew about it the moment I took Bill in my arms the day he was born. The Weasley Heir. Though the Weasley family Magick could not free me from the effects of the potion, it recognized that I had to be somewhat in control to pass on my family's legacy to the Heir. So the effect of the potion was reduced and as soon as I was aware of something being amiss, I went to my parents and told them. I was the one who told them to write it in their will that I will not be getting the inheritance, instead it will be going to my sons. I did not want your greedy hands on my family money. I was glad to work hard to buy some things for my children." Arthur told which made Molly go into a shock. After a few minutes, she had processed what he had told.

"What do you mean sons? What about our daughter?" she asked.

"Only those with the Weasley family Magicks can inherit anything in the vaults. A girl born in the Weasley family will never inherit the Weasley family Magicks. Hence, Ginerva will not have any inheritance. Though, if you want to confirm it, you may tag along with us, so that she can have the heritage test done to confirm my words." Arthur told calmly.

"Daddy, I don't want anything from your money. I will be richer than all of you when I become Lady Potter." Ginny told.

"Who told you that you were going to become the Lady Potter?" Sirius asked coolly.

"Don't you talk to my daughter, you murderer. You have no right to talk to her. You also have no right to have the guardianship of Harry. You are the one who murdered his parents. You better apologize…" Molly trailed off as she noticed that all of them were glaring at her while Harry had his wand pointed at her his eyes glaring daggers.

"You are the one who has to apologize. You have no right to talk to my godfather like that. He is no murderer. Are you telling you know what is good for me better than my own parents? Not only that, but, my godfather's question to your daughter is a valid one. Who the hell told you, you would become Lady Potter? I will not marry you even if you are the last woman on earth. Are you not a little young to be thinking those type of thoughts?" Harry snarled at the mother and daughter. The Weasleys other than Percy looked as if they agreed with Harry, though Arthur, Bill and Charlie did not know the full details of the plans Molly had with Dumbledore.

"Professor Dumbledore arranged a marriage contract for you with me which will be signed by him and my mother this summer, and it is an unbreakable contract." Ginny told despite her mother's efforts to shut her up.

"Dumbledore has no authority over me now. So your little dream will be just that. A dream." Harry told her a little harshly. Though he had never spoken like that to anyone, he could not help being harsh with them. They just rubbed him the wrong way.

After that, all of them went to Gringotts to find the Lovegoods waiting for them. They were greeted by an old goblin that looked familiar to Harry.

"Hello Griphook. How are you today?" Harry asked.

The goblin and all the others with him, other than his friends, Sirius, Minerva and Augusta stopped short astonished that Harry could remember the Goblin's name. Even those who knew Harry had photographic memory were slightly surprised, because most of the goblins looked alike and it was difficult to identify one after only one visit.

"I am well, Heir Potter-Black. Thank you for asking. You are a very unusual Wizard. Well, hope your business goes well. This is Lord Ragnock's office. He is waiting for you all." Griphook said and left.

The group entered the lavish looking office which was decorated in mild brown colours with many of the painting of various goblin wars. When they were all seated, the goblin who looked older than Griphook and was more regal, gave each of the youngsters a green colour potion and told them to drink it. All of them made disgusted face as they drank the foul tasting potion. After 5 minutes, each of them were made to put a few drops on the parchment before them which Ragnock took from all of them so that Molly and the Weasleys who did not inherit anything did not see anything that should not be seen.

After a few minutes of waiting, Ragnock announced that among the Weasleys, Percy and Ginny did not inherit any of the Weasley Family Magicks and that, it was so low that, it was doubtful if even their descendants would inherit it. Molly, Ginny and Percy were informed to leave Gringotts as they had no more business there.

"I have a right to know what my children are inheriting. You had no right to keep it a secret from me. Now you are also excluding two of your other children. I will be staying and I demand a portion of it for Percy and Ginny." She said.

"You have no right to be here. I only stayed with you so long for the sake of my children. But since they know the truth about you now, it is time I did what I have to now. 'I, Arthur Weasley, Head of the Noble and Honourable house of Weasley, hereby state that the marriage between Molly Prewitt and myself is null and void. So mote it be.'" Arthur said.

"Father, how can you side with the arrogant brat Potter? Did you not see how he spoke to mother and Ginny?" Percy asked, shocked that his father, who was a mild mannered man nullified his marriage. For what? A little bit of controlling potions? He found it absurd that his mother would do that.

"The Weasley Family will always support the Potters, Percy. Even if you do not have enough of the family Magicks, if you are loyal to your family, you can support. But if you had not noticed, it was due to your mother calling his godfather a murderer, made Harry speak to your mother like that. I have no hope for Ginny after the way she spoke at the Leaky Cauldron. It is obvious that, she has been brainwashed by your mother. But you will always be welcomed by us." Arthur said.

"I am sorry father. It is clear that you will not be with mother. But my loyalty is to mother only. Anyway, it is clear that I don't have the Weasley family Magicks. I will embrace my mother's family, the Prewitt's Magicks and also their name. You do not have to worry about me anymore. Come mother. Let us leave." Percy told turning to his mother.

Arthur watched sadly as his third son left the family altogether. Before they were out of hearing distance, Arthur called out, "You are no longer welcomed at the Burrow Molly. All three of your things will be delivered to the Leaky Cauldron by tonight. You may collect it from Tom."

As the three former Weasleys left Gringotts, the rest of the group was escorted to a meeting hall where they could talk freely without the chance of being overheard or disturbed.


	11. Heritage Revealed

**Chapter: 11 Heritage revealed**

Harry and the other youngsters were ushered into a room to the side of the bank that looked like a conference room. Arthur, Augusta, Xeno and the Jordans were also ushered while Minerva and Sirius were taken to Ragnock's office asking them to wait there. They were also given a letter from James that they were to read while the others were busy. It was addressed to both of them, so Minerva opened it and read it aloud.

"_Dear Paddy and Aunt Minnie,_

_If you are reading this then Lily and I have died and are unable to be there for Harry. I know that the both of you will raise Harry to be an honorable person. But if what I suspect is correct, then Harry would not have grown with either of you. Dumbledore has been hinting that Lily's adopted sister would be a better place for Harry to grow up if both of us have died. I have a bad feeling that he will go to any lengths to place Harry there. As you both know, he told us of the prophecy. What Lily and I did not discover until now is that he only told us half of the prophecy. What I am about to reveal right now is a secret that has never been outside family. But since you, Paddy blood adopted Harry and you, Aunt Minnie made him the magical Heir to your house, I am able to disclose this information through this letter only. Please understand that neither Dad nor I wanted to keep this information to ourselves, but according to the Magicks governing and guarding the family secrets, we could not disclose it verbally or any other way unless the head of the family feels that the family line is ending. In such cases, the last of the line will always be able to survive against whatever odds are possible. This does not mean he will be invincible. Only that he won't die. Instead he might go into a coma to heal his injuries. I can feel it in my bones that Lily and I are going to die within the next 24 hours. This is why I am able to write this letter as you both are going to be responsible for Harry's well being and him learning of his heritage. I know I am rambling. Anyway to put it bluntly Potters are the direct descendants of Merlin. You will now be able to be present to see the results of the heritage tests done for Harry. Before you go out though, you will have to swear an oath on your life and magic that you will not share the secret with anyone who does not know. This is not because of the trust issues, instead to protect you from any mind invasion or mind control magics. Anyway, if you have any doubt, you can either clarify with the Weasleys or with Aunt Gusta._

_I will finish this now. Please look after Harry. _

_Love,_

_Prongs."_

When they had finished reading the letter they were both shocked at what was revealed but then they swore an oath as James had requested in front of the goblin that was there with them. They were then taken to the room that Harry and the others were waiting.

After they were all there, the youngsters who had done the tests were to first read their results and then the questions would be answered. The Weasleys agreed to go first and so Bill opened the parchment in his hand and read:

**Name: William Weasley.**

**Heir to: Weasley, Gryffindor.**

**Gifts: Beast speech and Multi Animagus (two forms), Fire elemental.**

**Branch of Magic favored: Ancient Runes and Arithmancy.**

Charlie, the twins and Ron had the same gift and it seemed to be what Arthur was expecting. The branch of magic favored was different for each one. For Charlie it was Care of Magical Creatures and Defense against the Dark Arts, for Fred it was Charms and Potions while for George, it was Potions and Transfiguration. Ron on the other had was best in Defense, Charms and Arithmancy.

Lee took out his parchment and read it out nervously.

**Name: Lee Jordan**

**Heir to: Slytherin, Williams, Blake, Peverell.**

**Gifts: Multi Animagus, Parseltongue and water elemental.**

**Subject best favoured: Offensive magics, parselmagics.**

It was really astonishing to see that he was the heir to Slytherin, but the older Jordans told they would explain it later.

Neville went next and read out his results.

**Name: Neville Longbottom**

**Heir to: Longbottom, Hufflepuff.**

**Gifts: Multi Animagus, natural affinity for healing and earth elemental.**

**Subject best favoured: Herbology, Defensive Magics, Charms.**

Luna pulled out her results and read it next in a dreamy voice.

**Name: Luna Lovegood**

**Heir to: Lovegood, Ravenclaw.**

**Gifts: Multi Animagus, Avian speech, Seer and Air elemental.**

**Subject best favoured: Ancient Runes, Divination and Charms.**

Harry was the last to read out his results. He was nervous. He was astonished to find that all his friends were the heirs to the founders. What was in his results though surprised him so much that he almost fainted.

**Name: Harry Potter-Black**

**Heir to: Potter, Merlin, Peverell, Black (Blood adopted), Mcgonagall (magical heir), Evans.**

**Gifts: Mild ability of Metamorphmagus, Multi Animagus, Parseltongue, Beast and Avian Speech, Photographic memory and elemental ability in all the basic elements as well as Lightening.**

**Subject best favoured: Transfiguration, Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts.**

By the end of it, all the youngsters were staring open mouthed at not only Harry's results but their own too. After a few minutes in which all of them recovered from the shock, Arthur started explaining.

"Each of you felt a pull towards each other and felt that you could trust them because of an ancient oath the founders of Hogwarts took long back. It is well known that Merlin was long before the Founders time. But Merlin was scrying one day to see if he could find a worthy apprentice who had the same gifts as him so that his knowledge would not be lost. He did not find one single person with his gifts, instead found the four young people to be born in the future to become great and build a school for teaching magic and each had at least one of his gifts. He then brought them back in time during their 16th year of life and then taught them all he knew. In the beginning it was agreed that this would be taught to all those who had the gifts. Rowena Ravenclaw, who was a Seer, saw that if it was taught to all those who had the gifts, then the world would end up in darkness. So it was decided that the knowledge be passed only down the blood lines and that this secret should never be told anyone outside of the family. The wives of the heir are only told this after an official bonding. Before that they would not be able to tell anything. That is why Molly never knew anything about this."

"To keep this a secret and also to prevent any truth potions or mind invasions from working, the four founders and Merlin swore allegiance and created a spell that transfers the allegiance to their descendants. It is well known within our families that Salazar Slytherin was not the evil as he was portrayed in the history books. Godric and Salazar were the best of friends. An evil witch named Galatea dosed Salazar with Amorentia and married him when he was mourning the death of his real wife, Elizabeth. He already had a son named Sebastian whom he loved very much from his first wife. Godric somehow found out that his friend was under the influence of the love potion and produced an antidote to it with the help of Rowena and Helga. Salazar then divorced Galatea, but unfortunately she was pregnant with a daughter. That was when the four founders decided and modified their spell so that, only if the line is near ending, will the female child born to the family, will inherit the powers and will be able to be present. None of the five family lines can be completely ended. The five families are the Guardians of Light. The Heir of Merlin will be the leader while the descendants of the other families will be his trusted friends. They would give their lives in a heartbeat to save each other. In a situation where the parents of the child of one of the five families died, leaving the child orphaned even before he has any knowledge of his heritage, the guardians appointed for the child by the parents will be informed in a letter that would be written by the parents within 24 hours of their death. This is the case of Sirius and Minerva knowing as I am sure both of them got the letter from James and have sworn an oath on their magic and life."Arthur finished with a sigh.

All of them were very shocked at the information they were given. The youngsters could now understand why they were able to trust each other immediately.

"How can I be the Heir of Slytherin?" Lee asked directing the questions to his parents.

"We were descended from Sebastian Slytherin. The line was almost ending with the girl some 500 years back, so she inherited the magics. From there, again it was only the boys inheriting. Your grandparents on both sides and we are squibs actually. I actually did not know so much in detail. Only that we were descended from Salazar Slytherin." Lee's father answered him.

"Dad, I understand about Ginny, but what about Percy?" Ron asked speaking for the first time.

"Percy inherited the Prewitt family Magicks for some reason that I am not aware of. Hence he cannot be told about any of this. I am sure that Molly is going to run to Dumbledore about the inheritance test. We will have to do something to prevent the old man from snooping too much. He was actually really curious as to why we Weasleys, Longbottoms, Potters, Blakes and Lovegoods stuck together even though there might be a big age gap between us. We should thank Merlin that he did not connect the Jordans with the Blakes. I am assuming that Jordan was a name your parents took up after coming to the muggle world?" Arthur said directing the last question to the elder Jordan who just nodded.

Soon the younger generation swore an oath that they would always uphold the Light and would always protect each other.

The Glytherin boys looked at each other before declaring Luna to be their sister and that they would maim and kill who ever hurts her. Bill and Charlie agreed as much and Harry hugged her muttering a "Welcome to the family, Silver Moon, dearest sister." The other boys proceeded to do the same thing as if it was some ritual. What they did not know was that the magic was reacting to their words and bound them all as brothers and sisters.

"Uncle Paddy, Grandma Minnie, can we go visit Aunt Beth? Please? I would like to introduce all of you to her." Harry asked with a puppy dog eyes.

"If you are sure that we won't be intruding on her weekend, I don't see why we can't go and see her. I would also like to meet her and thank her for all she has done." Sirius told with a chuckle after getting a nod from Minerva.

"Oh! I am sure she won't mind us going and making her boring Sunday an interesting day." Harry told. When all the adults agreed on the plan, they just nodded their agreement.

Since they had finished their work at Gringotts, they left and went into the muggle world where the Jordans had parked their car. They then hailed two more taxis and drove to the Surrey.


	12. Just Desserts

**Chapter: 12 Just Desserts**

The Glytherins and Luna who had become an unofficial Glytherin sat in one car, wanting to get to know about Luna and telling her about their own lives and the life at Hogwarts, while Sirius, Minerva, Augusta and Xeno sat in the other taxi. The 3 older Weasleys joined the Jordans in their car. When they reached the surrey, Harry directed the driver to Aunt Beth's house with the other two following them. As soon as they got out, Harry ran to the door and rang the bell.

A minute later, the door opened and Bethany was staring at Harry in shock. "Harry, what are you doing here?" she asked, having missed the boy a lot and so she had eyes only for him and did not notice the others who came at a slower pace behind him.

"Hey Aunt Beth, long story. Shall we come in? Are you busy?" Harry asked suddenly unsure.

"Sure Hun, come in. You know I am never busy on the weekends. Wait, We? Who?" she asked suddenly realizing that Harry spoke in plural and that he had to have been with someone as he was supposed to be at Hogwarts.

Harry just grinned and pointed at the large group standing behind him. Beth blushed at being unaware of so many people standing behind Harry. She smiled sheepishly at them, apologizing and ushered them inside and asked them to sit while she went and got some refreshments for them. After everyone was comfortable, she looked pointedly at Harry, who just smiled sheepishly at her.

"Sorry for coming here without any notice, Aunt Beth. But we were already out of school for the day, so I just wanted to come and introduce you to my friends." He said.

"Why were you out of school young man?" She asked in her most stern voice which did not put a damper on Harry's smile.

"Well, first let me introduce you to everyone. First, this is Ron, Fred and George Weasley, Lee Jordan, Neville Longbottom of whom I had already told you about in the letter. This is Bill and Charlie Weasley, Ron and the twins' elder brothers and Mr. Arthur Weasley, their father. Augusta Longbottom is Neville's Gran, Luna Lovegood, our little sister from today, Mr. Xenophilius Lovegood, Luna's dad, Mr. Michael Jordan and Mrs. Rose Jordan, Lee's parents. Finally, this is Granma Minnie and Uncle Paddy." Harry told pointing to each and every one of them.

Beth's breath got caught as soon as she saw Sirius, where as Sirius had been staring at Beth since the moment he saw her open the door.

Harry who noticed this, whispered loudly, "Guys, I think Aunt Beth and Uncle Paddy are in a world of their own and we are going to have a wedding soon" and smirked when the both of them blushed turned to glare at him while the others laughed.

"You still have not told me what you are doing here and what your Uncle Paddy was doing for so long?" Beth asked.

Harry then told her the happenings during the first week at Hogwarts and the inheritance test they did. Since she was a muggle, he could tell her about his heritage but could not reveal anything about the others. They talked for some time and then decided to go out for lunch as Beth did not have anything prepared since they had dropped in for a surprise visit.

On their way to the restaurant which was nearby, Sirius, Beth and Minerva got to talking about Harry's childhood and Beth told the both of them what happened at the Dursleys without the glossing over Harry had done when he told them. Minerva and Sirius decided then and there that they would pay the Dursleys a visit that evening before leaving. They soon reached the restaurant and the adults took one large table for themselves, while the young ones took the other large table nearby.

"Miss. Graham-"Sirius started.

"Call me Beth, Mr. Black." Beth told him with a shy smile on her lips and a slight flush on her cheeks.

"Only if you call me Sirius." He said smiling charmingly at her.

Beth became a little more flustered at Sirius' charming smile, just nodded shyly back.

"Anyway, Beth, I was wondering if you would like to come with us to meet the Dursleys." Sirius said.

Beth nodded and the others just smiled at her re-assuring her that she did not have to be nervous among them.

"Professor," Beth said catching the attention of Minerva, "how has Harry been at school? He just wrote me some of the basics of what is going on, but I would like to know if he is keeping out of trouble." She said.

Minerva smiled a little, "Call me Minerva, dear. In class he is good. Did he mention that he caused a mass panic among the first years even before they got sorted? A few of the first years were in hysterics and it took me a while to calm them down." she asked.

"Mass Panic? What did that little troublemaker do?" Beth asked eyes wide, though the way she said troublemaker, everyone could say it was an endearment.

"Harry and his friends spoke about fighting a troll, very loudly, I might add, knowing full well that it was a lie. They made up some things making all the first years fear for their life, and a few of them to go into hysterics at the thought of fighting a troll. Finally I took them into the Great Hall and brought out the sorting hat. Before I could explain to the first years about the hat, he started going on about how they had to pull a rabbit out of it and that they did not know any spells or anything. I still don't know how I am going to manage with another group of pranksters, ones that started pranking even before they set foot into the Great Hall, that too if they join forces with the Twins." By the end of it all of them, except for Minerva and Augusta were clutching their sides and laughing.

"You would not believe it Augusta, but, Neville helped them by acting terrified that you would be disappointed in him or you would disown him if he was not in Gryffindor and that he did not how to fight the troll for him to be a Gryffindor. Those three are really good in their acting skills too. If I did not know the mischievous sparkle in their eyes, and after dealing with James and Sirius here, I know what to look for; I would have thought they were also truly terrified." She added to her friend.

Augusta just chuckled slightly and said, "I am just glad he found some friends and is coming out of his shell."

"I understand what you went through, Minerva. I was in the same predicament for the past 5 years. I knew Harry did the prank, but, there would be no proof that he was the one that did it, and he would act according to how the rest of his classmates act, so no one would be suspicious of him and I could not punish him without any proof that he was the one who did it." Beth told still chuckling.

"By the way, thank you for being there for my godson, Beth. If it was not for you, I do not know how Harry would have turned out and if he would have been this happy and outgoing." Sirius said with a sincere smile while all the other adults nodded.

"It was nothing. Harry is a good boy. I love him like my own son." Beth said with a small smile though there was some lingering sadness behind that smile. Though Sirius noticed it, he did not question her about it and started on their meals and going back to exchanging a few stories about the youngsters.

Meanwhile at the Glytherins table….

"Hey little Lulu, why are you so silent? There is some sadness in your eyes." Harry said silently noticing that Luna was very silent.

"My mother died last year. I wish she was here to see how many cool big brothers I have got, and that she was with me when we did the inheritance ritual." Luna said her wide silver grey eyes filled with tears.

"Your mother is always with you Lulu. You do not have to feel sad as she will never really leave you alone. You are her little girl. She will certainly be proud of you." Harry said earning a beaming smile from the small blonde girl.

"Did you know that we are going to visit your relatives today?" Luna asked in a dreamy voice.

"We are?" Harry and the others asked her, bewildered, not knowing any such plans.

"Yes, and they are going to pay for being mean to you. Do you think they had fiulgbugs in their hair?" she asked in the same dreamy voice.

"What are fiulgbugs, Silver Moon?" Neville voiced the question that everyone wanted to know the answer to.

"They a little bugs, that looks like lice. They infest the hair of a person and makes that person so jealous that they become mean to those they are jealous of." Luna explained.

"I think you are correct Lulu. It certainly seems as possible reason for the way they acted towards me." Harry said and then he suddenly started laughing. When he saw them looking confused at how he was laughing, he explained how he imagined his Aunt's face would be if he told them about the fiulgbugs, which made the others also to laugh.

"By the way, guys, I have an idea." Lee said.

"What is it Lee?" the twins asked.

"Why don't we start befriending the other students from the other houses too? We would have more allies that way." Lee said.

"Lee is right. It would be better if we befriended those from other houses. Not the prats like Malfoy and his gang or Dumbledore supporters, but those who are neutral like Zabini, Greengrass, Davies, Patils and other Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff students." Harry said.

"Good idea. We can do the same in our year too." The twins told and Ron and Neville nodded in agreement.

After the lunch was over, they went back to Beth's house and spent some time getting to know each other better. Suddenly, there was a tap on the window and when Beth saw it was an owl, she opened the window to let it in. the owl flew directly to Sirius and landed on his shoulder. The owl then stretched its leg to which a letter was tied.

Sirius removed the letter from the owl and started to read it. As he read further, he became angry, but at the same time had a big smile on his face. When he finished reading the letter, his smile was so huge that it was a surprise that it did not hurt.

"Moony sent the letter. I will read it out." He said still grinning broadly at the thought of his old friend.

_"Dear Padfoot,_

_I will start by telling you how sorry I am that I thought you to be the one to betray James and Lily. I should have known better, but please forgive me for not doing so. I don't even know if you consider me a friend anymore after me thinking the worst of you, and I won't blame you if you don't. I read in the Prophet that you have gained custody of Harry along with Minerva. Please tell him I am sorry that I did not see how he was doing. Though Dumbledore told me not to go see him, I tried to go. But the old coot had put some wards that prevented me from going near him, and if I tried, I would be shocked into unconsciousness for a good amount of time, that when I wake up, Harry would have gone somewhere else. I tried a minimum of five times before I gave up. All the letters I sent came back unopened. Please tell him that I did not abandon him. If you are still willing to accept my apology, I would love to meet you and Harry when you have the time._

_Yours, _

_Moony."_

"This is one more thing that the old coot is going to pay for." Harry said angrily.

"Do you have some supplies for me to write a reply with?" Sirius asked Beth.

Beth just nodded and got him a paper and a pen. While Sirius started his letter, Arthur started asking Beth about all the muggle things in her house.

"_Moony,_

_I too apologize for thinking you the traitor. I forgive you. Harry and I would love to meet you, but I don't think you will be able to meet Harry soon as he has to get back to school. Harry says " Hi Uncle Moony, no hard feelings." I will meet you tomorrow if you are free. Owl me the time and place. See you soon old boy._

_Padfoot."_

Sirius then tied the letter to the owl's leg which then flew out.

Soon, it was time for them to go to the Dursleys house. Since it was only a walking distance, the enjoyed the walk to No. 4, Privet Drive.

As soon as Harry knocked the door, it was opened by a horse-faced woman. When she saw Harry outside, he face twisted into a nasty sneer.

"You got kicked out of the freak school so soon, boy?" she asked.

"Of course not. He came here along with us as we wanted to meet you." Sirius told putting a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Petunia looked do terrified that she let out a squeak and moved back a few steps away from the door. Sirius' expression was so furious that he looked like he would have killed Petunia the moment she sneered at Harry.

The entire group then went inside and closed the door behind them. Only then did Vernon Dursley and Dudley Dursley came out from the kitchen to see what was going on.

"YOU! YOU BROUGHT MORE FREAKS LIKE YOU INTO OUR OWN HOME. GET OUT! GET OUT ALL OF YOU" Vernon started shouting and was finally silenced by Augusta.

"Listen here you idiot, we are not here to stay. We are her to get revenge for the way you treated Harry. I am going to put a spell on you now that will make you treat your own son the way you treated Harry for the past 10 years. You, Dudley, will know how Harry felt when he was neglected by your parents and you bullied him and prevented him from making friends. You two will know what you are doing, and that you are doing it to your own son, but you won't be able to stop behaving like that. Only then will you know how a parent will feel when they see or hear how their son was treated and they could do nothing to help him. You will never see Harry again if I have anything to do with it." Sirius said and cast a silent spell on them that would act just the way Sirius had described.

What Sirius did not tell them was that he timed the spell so that it would only last for a week. He hoped they would realize their mistakes by then. If not, oh well… he at least tried to teach them a lesson. He was not that cruel to make that spell permanent. He knew that Dudley was only a boy and that he had followed his parent's lead.

"Lily would be very disappointed in you Petunia. Imagine what would she have done if the positions were reversed and Dudley had to live with the Potters instead. Would she have done the same thing as you did?" Minerva asked and walked out of the house with the others following.

After they enjoyed a dinner at a restaurant again, the youngsters returned to Hogwarts with Minerva after hugging everyone good-bye and promising Luna that they would write to her as often as possible.


	13. Interlude 2 Dumbledore The Manipulator

**Chapter: 13 Interlude 2 (Dumbledore the Manipulator)**

As expected, Ron and the twins were summoned to the headmaster's office the next evening under the pretense that Molly was coming to see them. The entire day the Glytherins were very nervous. Their pendants which they received from the Goblins at Gringotts were going to be tested. All of them desperately wished that it would work or most of their plans would be exposed. It was true that most of their secrets pertaining to their inheritance would be guarded due to the oath that they had taken, but some of the other secrets would not be guarded as they were only starting to learn Occlumency. They were presented with a pendent each by the goblins which would protect their minds as well as minor and some moderate spells and other potions. It would also identify if there were any poison that was mixed with their food.

After their classes were over, Ron and the twins made their way to the headmaster's office while the other three boys made their way to Minerva's office. The three Weasley boys gave the password and entered the headmaster's office when they were called in. Molly hugged Ron and the twins as soon as they entered which they bore with a smile.

"What did you do at Gringotts yesterday, boys?" Molly demanded.

"We are sorry Mum, but we cannot tell as we have taken an Unbreakable vow." George said.

"George and I only came here to say that we don't want to see you hereafter. After all, you had dosed dad with love potions." Fred said seriously.

"So goodbye!" the twins said and left the office leaving a very angry Molly and Headmaster while Ron was smirking on the inside.

"Oh! I don't know where I went wrong in raising them. I am really sorry headmaster." Molly said.

"It is alright Molly. Never mind about that now. First, Mr. Weasley, can you tell me why you have allowed Mr. Potter to befriend Mr. Longbottom?" Dumbledore asked turning to Ron.

"Neville was already there with Harry on the train, Headmaster. I could not send Neville out without making Harry angry at me as they had already befriended each other." Ron said thinking the scenario matching his story. He felt a slight brush in his mind and after a moment the headmaster nodded his head believing him. He let out a mental sigh of relief. The pendants from the goblins worked as they should. They could rest in peace now till they learnt to occlude their mind.

"Why have you not befriended the sweet girl, Hermione Granger?" Molly demanded showing some disapproval in her voice.

"Hermione Granger? A sweet girl? Are you mad? She drives us crazy." Ron said acting like he thought the idea of them being friends with the girl was ludicrous which it was.

"You will be nice to her young man. Just like you, she has agreed to work for the headmaster for the greater good." Molly said now starting to get angry at her son.

"Even if I start acting nice towards her, Harry would never ever accept her as a friend. She told him about how she read all the books about him and she knew what was good for him better than himself. That was during the first meeting. Well, Harry got angry and told her to shut up and get out. If I had known she was also doing the same thing as me, I would have tried to soften things with Harry. Why did you not tell me about her?" Ron asked.

"Never mind why we did not tell you in the beginning. A betrothal contract is signed for you and her. You will be nice to her." Molly said getting upset that her son dared to question her.

"Oh! I forgot to tell you mother, only dad was allowed to set up any type of contract, not that dad would do that, let alone without consulting me and not even knowing the character of the girl before signing the contract. So when we were at Gringotts receiving our inheritance, the contract was terminated on the basis that you had no right to sign the contract as you were not officially bonded to a Weasley. You were only one by marriage and that too, a marriage which was due to a love potion. I only stayed back to tell you that I am disgusted by you all and myself for being gullible enough to believe you. Goodbye Mother." Ron said and stood up to leave.

"Obliviate" Dumbledore said drawing his wand and pointing at Ron in a split second. "You won't remember any conversation where I was present except for the conversation where the twins were also present. You only stayed back to tell your mother that you love her despite her actions, though you will not speak to her."

Ron was even more thankful for the pendant given by the goblins. It just absorbed the spell as it was one of the mind arts and just made Ron appear as if he had been obliviated and Ron just nodded along with what Dumbledore just told.

Ron left the office leaving a very angry Dumbledore and a distressed Molly. He went straight to Minerva's office where the others were waiting for him and informed them of what had happened. In the beginning they were wondering what to do about Ron being summoned to the headmaster's office regularly and that he might be caught off guard one of the times. After taking their inheritance tests, a stronger bond had been formed between them that they could know if anybody who approached them had any ideas of betraying them. Though this was a trait that was most prominent only when all of them were together. When they were alone, it was only a mild nagging feeling in the back of their minds


End file.
